Cessna 170B accident near Anchorage, Alaska, September 15, 1984
On September 15, 1984 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3010A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Sky Harbor 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
- September 15, 1984 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Sky Harbor · 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
- N3010A · no longer on the register · serial 25654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED TAKEOFF WAS SLOW AND ACFT COULD NOT CLEAR ON-COMING RISING TERRAIN AND OBSTACLES. LEFT WING CONTACTED 100 FT TALL TREE TOPS APRX 2500 FT FROM DEPARTURE END OF RWY YAWING ACFT 180 DEGREES FROM DIRECTION OF FLT. PLT FAILED TO PERFORM WEIGHT AND BALANCE BEFORE FLT. COMPUTATIONS REVEALED ACFT WAS NO MORE THAN 150 LBS BELOW CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT.
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: 750 hours in all; 550 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1981; 358 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ANI Aniak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from ANC, 7 miles away
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.