Cessna 172P accident near Mckinley Park, Alaska, July 5, 1983
On July 5, 1983 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54633, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mckinley Park, Alaska (Mckinley 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).
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 5, 1983 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mckinley Park, Alaska · Mckinley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54633 · registry record · serial 17275016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE WINDSOCK. WHILE ON FINAL FOR RWY 16 'THINGS' DID NOT FEEL RIGHT, BUT HE CONTINUED INTO A LONG, FAST TAILWIND LANDING. AS HE NEARED THE END OF THE RWY HE DELIBERATELY GROUNDLOOPED THE ACFT TO AVOID GOING OVER A PRECIPICE. WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTH/NORTHWEST OCCASSIONALLY GUSTING 20 KTS. IN HIS REPORT, THE PLT STATED THERE WERE SEVERAL POINTS DURING THE APPROACH WHERE A GO-AROUND WAS CLEARLY INDICATED, HOWEVER HE WAS CONFIDENT HE COULD LAND SAFELY. THE PLT ALSO STATED HE CALLED THE ARPT ON 122.8. THIS FREQ IS USED TO ACTIVATE THE LANDING ALERT SYSTEM. THE CORRECT FREQ FOR EITHER THE CTAF OR RCO IS 122.1.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,595 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,415 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1983; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Elmendorf Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: EDF Elmendorf Afb AK at 2:25 pm
- Destination: 5MK Mckinley Park AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°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.
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.