Cessna C-172P incident near Scammon Bay, Alaska, September 6, 1985
On September 6, 1985, a Cessna C-172P, registered N65798, suffered minor damage in an incident near Scammon Bay, Alaska (Scammon Bay airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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 incident. 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 6, 1985
- Place
- Scammon Bay, Alaska · Scammon Bay · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-172P
- Registration
- N65798 · registry record · serial 17275894
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF FROM THE TAXIWAY BECAUSE IT ALIGNED INTO THE WIND. AFTER TAKEOFF AND ACCELERATING TO CLIMB AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE'S CONTROLS FELT MUSHY AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE ROAD/TAXIWAY. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, A GUST OF WIND FORCED THE PILOT TO LAND IN A SWAMPY LAKE CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER. THERE IS NO WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY LOCATED AT SCAMMON BAY, ALASKA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,326 hours in all; 519 in this make and model; 321 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,885 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 4, 1985; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-025 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Village Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SCM Scammon Bay AK at 7:35 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 35 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.