Cessna 180 and Cessna 152 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 1, 1986
On August 1, 1986 at about 11:31 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 180 (N2913C) and Cessna 152 (N757VW), were involved in the same accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- August 1, 1986 · about 11:31 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2913C · registry record · serial 30813
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757VW · registry record · serial 15280047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUND CONTROL (GND CTL) TRAINEE CLRD CESSNA 152 (C-152), N757WV, TO TAXI TO RWY 6, THEN RELINQUISHED THE GND CTL PSN TO A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CTLR, WHO HAD JUST SIGNED ON DUTY. THE FPL CTLR WAS AWARE OF THE LCTN & TAXI DESTN OF THE C-152. THE FPL CTLR THEN CLRD A TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 (C-180), N2913C, TO TAXI TO RWY 15. RWYS 6 & 15 WERE JOINED AT THE APCH ENDS & THE SAME RUN-UP AREA WAS PROVIDED FOR BOTH RWYS. AFTER ENTERING THE RUN-UP AREA, THE C-152 PLT STOPPED WITH HIS ACFT ANGLED TO THE NE & BGN A RUN-UP. MEANWHILE, THE C-180 PLT TAXIED INTO THE SAME RUN-UP AREA & THE PROP OF HIS ACFT STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE OF THE C-152. JUST BFR THE COLLISION, THE C-180 PLT SAW THE C-152 & APPLIED BRAKES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. THE C-180 CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DWN PSN. ACCORDING TO THE TWR TAPES, NO WARNINGOF TRAFFIC WAS ISSUED BY THE GND CTLR. THE C-180 PLT WAS NOT WEARING CORRECTIVE LENSES AS REQUIRED & WAS OVERDUE A BFR.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUND CONTROL (GND CTL) TRAINEE CLRD CESSNA 152 (C-152), N757WV, TO TAXI TO RWY 6, THEN RELINQUISHED THE GND CTL PSN TO A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CTLR, WHO HAD JUST SIGNED ON DUTY. THE FPL CTLR WAS AWARE OF THE LCTN & TAXI DESTN OF THE C-152, THE FPL CTLR THEN CLRD A TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED CESSN 180 (C-180), N2913C, TO TAXI TO RWY 15. RWYS 6 & 15 WERE JOINED AT THE APCH ENDS OF THE SAME RUN-UP AREA WAS PROVIDED FOR BOTH RWYS. AFTER ENTERING THE RUN-UP AREA, THE C-152 PLT STOPPED WITH HIS ACFT ANGLED TO THE NE & BGN A RUN-UP. MEANWHILE, THE C-180 PLT TAXIED INTO THE SAME RUN-UP AREA & THE PROP OF HIS ACFT STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE OF THE C-152. JUST BFR THE COLLISION, THE C-180 PLT SAW THE C-152 & APPLIED BRAKES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. THE C-180 CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DWN PSN. ACCORDING TO THE TWR TAPES, NO WARNINGOF TRAFFIC WAS ISSUED BY THE GND CTLR. THE C-180 PLT WAS NOT WEARING CORRECTIVE LENSES AS REQUIRED & WAS OVERDUE A BFR.
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 for the Cessna 180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 74 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,458 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1986; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,490 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 2,446 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,940 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aces Up Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 6:31 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 ANC86FA118.