Cessna 180H accident near Chicken, Alaska, July 28, 1984
On July 28, 1984 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N3476Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicken, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 28, 1984 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Chicken, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3476Y · no longer on the register · serial 18051976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE TO DAWSON CITY, CANADA, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX. THE CLOUDS WERE NEAR THE TOPS OF THE RIDGES & THE ACFT WAS BENEATH THE CLOUD LAYER IN A SLOW FLT CONFIGURATION. THE PLT SAID THAT HE TRIED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN, BUT THE ACFT STALLED & PITCHED DOWN. HE HAD NEARLY RECOVERED FROM THE STALL & WAS IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE WHEN THE ACFT HIT TREES & THE GROUND.
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: 1,358 hours in all; 729 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1983; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Dawson
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°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.