Cessna C-188 accident near Noatak, Alaska, June 11, 1983
On June 11, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna C-188, registered N731CN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Noatak, Alaska (Red Dog 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
- June 11, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Noatak, Alaska · Red Dog · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-188
- Registration
- N731CN · no longer on the register · serial 18802792T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY AT THE MID-POINT IN A 30 DEGREE NOSE LOW ATTITUDE DURING TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE TAKEOFF WAS STARTED AT THE NORTH END OF THE 5000 FOOT RUNWAY AND AFTER 500 FEET THE ACFT LIFTED OFF NORMALLY. THE PILOT THEN RELAXED THE BACK PRESSURE ON THE ELEVATOR TO ACCELERATE TO BEST CLIMB SPEED. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT AT THE MID-POINT OF THE RUNWAY THE ACFT BEGAN TO PITCH DOWN GENTLY SO HE APPLIED SOME NOSE UP TRIM BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO PITCH DOWN AND THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE CONTROL STICK WOULD NOT MOVE ANY FARTHER AFT THAN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO PITCH DOWN UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF TOOLS & PLYWOOD IN THE TAIL SECTION. NO ITEMS WERE FOUND LODGED SO AS TO INTERFER WITH THE FLT CONTROLS. ALL THE FLT CONTROLS HAD CONTINUITY BUT THE ELEVATOR CABLES HAD AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF SLACK BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE THE ACFT UNCONTROLLABLE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,033 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 19,033 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,464 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ Kotzebue
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.