Cessna 180H accident near Port Alsworth, Alaska, March 8, 1993
On March 8, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N9737G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Alsworth, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN COMMAND ENTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOW/WHITEOUT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Port Alsworth, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N9737G · registry record · serial 18052237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ENTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS CAUSED BY BLOWING SNOW SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE AND UNINTENTIONALLY ALLOWED THE PLANE TO DESCEND AND COLLIDE WITH THE FROZEN SURFACE OF THE LAKE. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW (BFR) OR FLIGHT MEDICAL AND THAT HE DID NOT RECALL HAVING RECEIVED INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO EXECUTE A 180 DEGREE CHANGE OF DIRECTION TURN USING ONLY THE BASIC (PARTIAL PANEL) FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1992; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Koksetna Lodge AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°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 N9737G 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.