Cessna 152 accident near Big Lake, Alaska, July 11, 1985
On July 11, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93180, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska (Big Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 11, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Lake, Alaska · Big Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N93180 · no longer on the register · serial 1528543
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PLT WAS IN TRAINING FOR A SINGLE ENG LAND RATING & WAS INDORSED FOR SOLO FLT. DURING HER TRAINING, SHE & HER INSTRUCTOR PLT HAD LANDED AT THE BIG LAKE ARPT. SHE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS HER APPROVAL TO LAND THERE SOLO. HOWEVER, THERE WERE SANDY SOFT SPOTS ON THE GRAVEL RWY & THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT WAS NOT CLEARED FOR SOLO LANDINGS AT THAT ARPT. DURING THE LANDING, THE STUDENT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT VEERED OFF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE LEFT WING HIT 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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1985; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 4:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,800 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.