Cessna 180 accident near Wrangell, Alaska, July 24, 1992
On July 24, 1992 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9398C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska (Wrangell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INOPERATIVE TAILWHEEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1992 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wrangell, Alaska · Wrangell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9398C · registry record · serial 31796
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TAIL WHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY UPON LANDING AND THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE SHIMMY. HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE AIRPLANE AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. NO DETERMINATION FOR THE TAIL WHEEL SHIMMY WAS MADE DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL WHEEL INCURRED DURING THE GROUND LOOP.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,875 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 2,875 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1992; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSG Petersburg AK at 5:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.