Cessna 172-K accident near Anchorage, Alaska, April 12, 1990
On April 12, 1990 at about 11:47 pm local time, a Cessna 172-K, registered N46410, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT-IN-COMMAND USED POOR JUDGEMENT WHEN HE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF ON ROUGH & UNEVEN FROZEN LAKE WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILED NOSE SKI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1990 · about 11:47 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172-K · all 172-Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46410 · registry record · serial 17257249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF TO THE WEST ON A FROZEN LAKE. ICE/SNOW WAS CRUSTY AND ROUGH AT LIFT OFF THE NOSE SKI FAILED AND BEGAN HITTING THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. LANDED HIGH ON MAIN WHEEL SKIS. AS NOSE STRUT TOUCHED DOWN IT WENT THROUGH SNOW CRUST & COLLAPSED. A/C STOPPED ON ITS NOSE.
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: 4,700 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,158 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1989; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from ANC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.