Cessna 180 accident near Kenai, Alaska, May 1, 1983
On May 1, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2661Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai Muni. airport). It was a personal 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).
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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
- May 1, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2661Y · registry record · serial 18051161
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PILOT OF THE TAILWHEEL ACFT PUSHED THE YOKE FOWARD DURING THE ROLL AND THENRELEASED THE PRESSURE HE SAID THE TAIL OF THE ACFT CAME UP TOO HIGH AND THE PILOT SAID HE OULD NOT OVERCOME THIS ACTION WITH BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE SO HE PULLED OFF THE ACFT POWER AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED GUSTY WINDS AND WIND SHEAR. THE INVESTIGATOR WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY RECORDED GUSTY WINDS FOR A 4 HR PERIOD FROM 2 HRS BEFORE TO 2 HRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS ALSO NO EVIDENCE OF WIND SHEAR FOUND. THE ACFT WAS USING RUNWAY 01 AND THE RECORDED WIND WAS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 9 KTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 245 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,567 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1982; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BGQ Big Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 7,575 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°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.
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 ANC83FAG08.