Cessna 180 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 29, 1990
On June 29, 1990, a Cessna 180, registered N3186B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THIS TYPE AIRPLANE (LARGE TIRES/TAIL WHEEL COMBINATION), AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1990
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3186B · no longer on the register · serial 31984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND NOSED OVER SHORTLY AFTER LANDING ON A HARD SURFACED RUNWAY WITH LARGE 'TUNDRA' TIRES. THE PILOT HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN FLYING A TAIL WHEEL AIRPLANE WITH THESE LARGE TIRES, WHICH WERE DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR OFF AIRPORT USE IN ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 288 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 10,496 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:33 pm from ANC
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.