Cessna 180F accident near Cordova, Alaska, August 31, 1987
On August 31, 1987 at about 2:45 am 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
- August 31, 1987 · about 2:45 am 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 18051274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE SOUTH AT APPROXIMATELY 15 KNOTS GUSTING 30 KNOTS. AS HE WAS TURNING OFF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO GROUND LOOP ON THE TAXIWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 660 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 919 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,154 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1987; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK
- Destination: CDV Cordova AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 7,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from CDV
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 ANC87LA130.