Cessna 172 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, February 15, 1990
On February 15, 1990 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4305L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, 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
WATER (OR ICE) CONTAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL, AND AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SNOW COVERED TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1990 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4305L · registry record · serial 172-54374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RPRTDLY, THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 3 TO 4 MONTHS WITH THE FUEL TANKS EMPTY. WHEN IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FLOWN, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & WOULD NOT SUSTAIN FLT. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN DEEP SNOW, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND, BUT ABOUT ONE OUNCE OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE GASCOLATOR. A MECHANIC NOTED THAT AT SOME TIME BEFORE THE FLT, HE ATTEMPTED TO DRAIN THE FUEL SUMPS, BUT THEY WOULD NOT DRAIN (AS THOUGH FROZEN).
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: 633 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 614 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENN Nenana AK at 9:00 pm
- Destination: North Pole AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.