Cessna 180 accident near Palmer, Alaska, April 2, 1983
On April 2, 1983 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2345C, was destroyed in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 2, 1983 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2345C · registry record · serial 30645
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S ACCIDENT REPORT, HE HAD CLIMBED TO 3200 FT, PULLED THE THROTTLE FULL BACK TO DESCEND, THEN THE ENG STOPPED. HE STATED THAT HE TRIED TO START THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE, SO HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN TREES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED DURING IMPACT WITH THE TREES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE INTOXICATED, WERE DRINKING WHILE THE ACFT WAS BEING REFUELED, AND HAD MADE A 100 DOLLAR WAGER THAT THE PLT COULD GLIDE THE ACFT FROM PIONEER PEAK TO FINGER LAKE WITH THE ENG SHUT OFF. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT WITH BINOCULARS & SAW THAT THE ENG WAS STOPPED. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ENG HAD NOT BEEN STARTED BY THE TIME THE ACFT WENT OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND TREES. MEDICAL PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT AT THE CRASH SITE, THE PLT APPEARED INTOXICATED, HOSTILE & UNCOOPERATIVE. A BLOOD SAMPLE TAKEN ABOUT 2 1/2 HRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.204.
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: 1,013 hours in all; 523 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 519 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,885 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1981; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z16 Wasilla AK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC83LA065.