Cessna 180F accident near Cordova, Alaska, September 4, 1985
On September 4, 1985 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Cessna 180F, registered N25722, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordova, Alaska (Cordova 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1985 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Cordova · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180F · all 180Fs on the register
- Registration
- N25722 · registry record · serial 51274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING OFF, HE SEEMED TO LOSE AILERON CONTROL. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF & LAND ON THE REMAINING RWY. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN NEAR THE DEPARTURE END, HE ELECTED TO TURN THE ACFT TO THE LEFT TOWARD AN ACCESS ROAD RATHER THAN TO CONTINUE AHEAD INTO WATER. THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH, THEN WENT ONTO LOOSE GRAVEL. THE BRAKES LOCKED ON THE LOOSE GRAVEL, THEN THE TIRES CAUGHT ON HARD GROUND & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE FLT CONTROLS WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 644 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 644 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1985; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 1,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N25722 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC85LA170.