Cessna 182 accident near Chakachamna Lk, Alaska, December 8, 1989
On December 8, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N8849T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chakachamna Lk, Alaska. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION OF THE TAKEOFF AREA BY THE PILOT, AND HIS ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE SOFT/SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chakachamna Lk, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N8849T · no longer on the register · serial 52749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACDNT OCCURRED AS THE PLT OF THE SKI EQUIPPED ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM AN AREA OF DRIFTED SNOW ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF CHAKACHAMNA LAKE. IN A STATEMENT AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS 'TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF AND ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF, HIT SNOW BANK . . .' SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT SKIDDED TO A STOP 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 1,565 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N8849T 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.