Cessna 180-A accident near Lime Village, Alaska, August 27, 1990
On August 27, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 180-A, registered N3680C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lime Village, Alaska (White Fish 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE PERFORMANCE DATA DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN NOT BEING IDENTIFIED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Lime Village, Alaska · White Fish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180-A · all 180-As on the register
- Registration
- N3680C · registry record · serial 31179
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ON A GRAVEL BAR AIRSTRIP, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A LARGE ROCK ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE White Fish AK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N3680C 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.