Cessna 180H accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, February 4, 1993
On February 4, 1993 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered CFZEX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Harbor Spb airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN. FACTORS WERE THE UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND ROUGH WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1993 · about 12:45 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Harbor Spb · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- CFZEX · registered outside the United States · serial 18052277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING UP AND CAUSED THE RIGHT WING TO HIT THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE THEN NOSED OVER. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE 15 GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. HEAVY RAIN AND FOG ALSO EXISTED.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 815 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 131 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,820 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Coast Air
The flight
- Departed from: 5KE at 12:45 pm
- Destination: CYPR Prince Rupert
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from KTN, 3 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-L 19 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base · nearest airport
- Prince Rupert Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 824 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,146 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC93LA030.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.