Cessna 180K accident near Amos Lakes, Alaska, March 10, 1991
On March 10, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N66036, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amos Lakes, Alaska. 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'S SELECTION OF TERRAIN THAT WAS ROUGH, SNOW-COVERED AND ICY FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Amos Lakes, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N66036 · no longer on the register · serial 18052908
- 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, DURING THE TAKEOFF ON THE FROZEN LAKE, HE ENCOUNTERED VERY ROUGH SURFACE CONDITIONS WHICH DID NOT ALLOW THE AIRPLANE TO REACH LIFTOFF SPEED. DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF VERY SLICK SNOW-COVERED ICE. THE AIRPLANE WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO THE TREES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,990 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 4,345 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 915 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 1990; 173 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-VC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°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.
Other NTSB records under N66036 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.