Cessna 180B accident near Butterfly Lake, Alaska, July 3, 1990
On July 3, 1990 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N3125W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butterfly Lake, Alaska (Butterfly Lake 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 RETRACT THE AIRPLANE'S WHEEL PRIOR TO A WATER LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES, AND HABIT INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY HIS CONCERN OVER AN AIR TRAFFIC CONFLICT DURING THE PRECEDING TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1990 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Butterfly Lake, Alaska · Butterfly Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3125W · registry record · serial 50584
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FORGOT TO RETRACT THE WHEEL PORTION OF HIS AMPHIBIOUS FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF FROM A HARD SURFACED RUNWAY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE LANDED IN THE WATER WITH THE WHEELS EXTENDED AND IMMEDIATELY NOSED OVER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE FELT RUSHED DURING HIS PRECEDING TAKEOFF DUE TO A POTENTIAL AIR TRAFFIC CONFLICT, AND HE SUSPECTS THAT HIS CONCERN FOR THE LOCATION OF THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC INTERRUPTED HIS NORMAL HABIT OF RETRACTING THE GEAR.
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 sea
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,820 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 155° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.