Cessna 180 accident near Berners Bay, Alaska, October 14, 1991
On October 14, 1991 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 180, registered N4693B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Berners Bay, 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 LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE PRE TAKEOFF TAXI, DUE TO HIS IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TAKEOFF AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1991 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Berners Bay, Alaska · 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
- N4693B · registry record · serial 31591
- 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 WHEN HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE AROUND IN PREPARATION FOR A TAKEOFF FROM THE BEACH, THE WHEEL ON THE INSIDE OF THE TURN DUG DOWN INTO THE SAND. WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED TO BEGIN THE TAKEOFF RUN, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
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 land
- Flight time: 410 hours in all; 286 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,094 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JUN Juneau AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.