Cessna 336 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 16, 1982
On August 16, 1982 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 336, registered N3849W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1982 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 336 · all 336s on the register
- Registration
- N3849W · no longer on the register · serial 0149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A STOL KIT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A LANDING, THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT 80 MPH AND VEERED SLIGHTLY LEFT WHEN HE REDUCED POWER. HE COMPENSATED WITH RIGHT RUDDER AND THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL LIFTED OFF THE SURFACE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND COMPOUNDED THE SITUATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE VEER OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED AIRCRAFT, A CESSNA 206, N29289 AND A PIPER PA-34, N3023Q. THE PILOT WEIGHED 255 LBS AND WORE SIZE 15 SHOES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 392 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 226 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,636 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Soldotna AK at 7:40 am
- Destination: Merrill Field AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.