Cessna 182P accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 27, 1987
On July 27, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N1946M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. 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 27, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N1946M · no longer on the register · serial 18264497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THERE WAS HVY TRAFFIC WHEN THE PLT OF N1946M CONTACTED ANCHORAGE (ANC) INTL TWR FOR LNDG INSTRNS AT THE LAKE HOOD STRIP.ANC TWR CTLD TRAFFIC AT THE NRBY LAKE HOOD STRIP & LAKE HOOD SEAPLANE BASE, AS WELL AS AT THE ANC INTL ARPT. THE WND AT LAKE HOOD HAD BEEN VARIABLE. JUST BFR THE PLT ASKED FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS, THE WND WAS FM 300 DEG AT 8 KTS. THE PLT WAS TOLD TO PLAN FOR A LNDG ON RWY 31. AS ACFT ARRD FOR LNDG, THE CTLR GAVE WND INFO ONLY WHEN THE PLTS REQD IT OR WHEN THE WND SHIFTED. THE PLT OF N1946M DID NOT REQ WND INFO; HOWEVER, AT 1657:55, THE CTLR MADE A TRANSMISSION TO ALL ACFT THAT LAKE HOOD ATIS INFO DELTA WAS CURRENT & THAT THE WND WAS FM 130 DEG AT 9 KTS. APRX 50 SEC LATER, HE CLRD N1946M TO LND ON RWY 31. THE ACFT WAS HI ON FINAL APCH. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT TOUCHED DWN ABOUT HALFWAY DWN THE 2200' GRAVEL STRIP. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY AREA. THE ACFT CONTD OFF THE END & NOSED OVR ON SOFT, WET TERRAIN. THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS NOT AWARE THERE WAS A TAIL WND UNTIL AFTER THE MISHAP.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 426 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1987; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5HO Hope AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 9 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:01 pm from ANC, 1 miles away
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.