Cessna 305E accident near Eielson Afb, Alaska, July 10, 1983
On July 10, 1983 at about 8:08 pm local time, a Cessna 305E, registered N68396, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eielson Afb, Alaska (Eielson Afb airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- July 10, 1983 · about 8:08 pm local time
- Place
- Eielson Afb, Alaska · Eielson Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305E · all 305Es on the register
- Registration
- N68396 · registry record · serial 23522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 210 TO 240 DEG AT 2 GUSTING 8 KTS. WHILE LANDING ON THE WIDE RWY (31), HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE & WAS ANGLING TO THE LEFT TO MINIMIZE THE X-WIND COMPONENT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS LOOSE AT THE ATTACHING POINT TO THE LEAF SPRING. ALSO, IT WAS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY WHICH MADE THE PIVOT OPERATION STIFF. HOWEVER, THE TAILWHEEL REPORTEDLY WOULD NOT JAM TO 1 SIDE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,231 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 1,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,402 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1983; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-15 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 14,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 16,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N68396 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.