Cessna 170 accident near Big Lake, Alaska, April 25, 1982
On April 25, 1982 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N170DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska (Big Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1982 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Big Lake, Alaska · Big Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N170DM · registry record · serial 20055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND AT THE BIG LAKE AIRPORT. BEFORE LANDING, HE NOTED THAT WEATHER WAS MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. ALSO, HE NOTED THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS LIMP, BUT FAVORED A LANDING TO THE WEST. HE LANDED, AND BEFORE TAKING OFF AGAIN, HE NOTED HE WIND SOCK HAD NOT MOVED. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE ENCOUNTERED A WING DROP AND VEER TO THE RIGHT, BUT CORRECTED THE SITUATION AND CONTINUED. REPORTEDLY, HE LIFTED OFF AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE RIGHT WING DROPPED ABRUPTLY AND THE PLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY CORRECTING, BUT FINALLY BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT. HOWEVER, THE AIRSPEED REMAINED AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS AND THE PLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. HE ABORTED AND THE PLANE ANDTHE PLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, CROSSED A ROAD, AND HIT A DITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND SHIFTED TO A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE PASSENGER A SMALL CHILD, WAS SECURED ON THE PILOT'S LAP WITH THE SAME BELT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 163 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,142 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK at 11:05 am
- Destination: Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,800 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC82DAG18.