Cessna 120 accident near Atigan Pass, Alaska, March 11, 1991
On March 11, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N77316, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atigan Pass, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUED TO FLY VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS. RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LOW CEILINGS, WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Atigan Pass, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N77316 · no longer on the register · serial 11758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST BEFORE REACHING A 4,700 FOOT MOUNTAIN PASS, HE ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY DETERIORATING FLIGHT VISIBILITY AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS DUE TO SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN AND FALLING SNOW. HE LOST SIGHT OF THE GROUND AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE AIRPLANE AROUND. HE BEGAN A SLOW DESCENT AND CRASH LANDED ON THE SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINSIDE.
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: 2,080 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,742 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1990; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Tulik AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: NONE North Pole AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: -26°F (-32°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.