Cessna 170B accident near Anchorage, Alaska, May 6, 1990
On May 6, 1990 at about 11:38 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4538C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill 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 PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1990 · about 11:38 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4538C · registry record · serial 25482
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY THEN NOSED OVER ON TO ITS BACK. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
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: 500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,321 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,988 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 pm from MRI, 1 miles away
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.
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.