Cessna 180B accident near Palmer, Alaska, February 28, 1987
On February 28, 1987 at about 9:24 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N9141T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska (Palmer Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 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
- February 28, 1987 · about 9:24 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Palmer Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9141T · no longer on the register · serial 50641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING HIS TAIL WHEEL AIRPLANE IN A CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED THAT A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE LEFT WING FROM CONTACTING THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EVENTUALLY CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY ON ITS NOSE AND LEFT WINGTIP.
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
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1986; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:24 pm from PAQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9141T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.