Cessna 170B accident near North Pole, Alaska, March 31, 1983
On March 31, 1983 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N1955C, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Pole, Alaska (Lakloey airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- March 31, 1983 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Pole, Alaska · Lakloey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1955C · registry record · serial 26100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE SKI EQUIPPED ACFT HAD TAKEN OFF FROM AN ABANDONDED STRIP THAT WAS IN A DETERIORATING CONDITION WITH ROCKS SCATTERED ALONG THE LANDING AREA. AFTER ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION, HE LANDED ON A WELL GRADED RWY WITH PACKED SNOW THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR EITHER WHEEL OR SKI OPERATION. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY & THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT HIT THE LEFT WING OF A PIPER PA-12, N3140M. AFTER THAT, THE ACFT CONTINUED UNTIL IT STRUCK A SNOWBANK, THEN TRAVELED ABOUT 50 FT FURTHER BEFORE COMING TO REST. AN EXAM OF THE GEAR REVEALED THAT THE LEFT SKI WAS WORN. THE OVERLAYER WAS SCRAPED AWAY & APRX AN 18 INCH, OUTBOARD PORTION WAS BENT INWARD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE SKI HAD HIT THE SNOWBANK WHILE THE LEFT WING WAS LOW CAUSING A TRANSVERSE FRACTURE & FAILURE OF THE LEFT AXLE (A NON-STANDARD C-185 AXLE). IMPROPER BOLTS HAD BEEN USED TO INSTALL THE NON-STANDARD AXLES & NO SHIMS HAD BEEN USED TO PROVIDE PROPER AXLE ALIGNMENT.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,170 hours in all; 1,170 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 1,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chicken AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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 ANC83LA063.