Cessna 172 accident near Taylor Road, Alaska, September 30, 1992
On September 30, 1992 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N79046, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taylor Road, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTING CROSSWINDS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1992 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Taylor Road, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N79046 · no longer on the register · serial 17257839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ENCOUNTERED GUSTY CROSSWIND ON APPROACH TO ROADWAY LANDING AREA OF REMOTE AREA NORTH OF NOME, ALASKA, COLLIDED WITH TREES ON SECOND ATTEMPTED LANDING. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; PILOT AS SOLE OCCUPANT WAS 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 510 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1992; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: American River AK at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.