Cessna 170B accident near Wulik River, Alaska, September 3, 1993
On September 3, 1993 at about 6:30 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2384D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wulik River, Alaska. It was a personal 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. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1993 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Wulik River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2384D · registry record · serial 20536
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A MOUNTAIN RIDGE, THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL ENTERED A DEPRESSION AND HE HAD TO USE HARDER THAN NORMAL CONTROL FORCES TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE ALIGNED WITH THE TAKEOFF PATH. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE DEPRESSION, IT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AND BECAUSE OF THE LEFT QUARTERING HEADWIND, IT CAME BACK DOWN ON THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL AND THE RIGHT WING. THE AIRPLANE THEN SPUN AROUND CLOCKWISE ABOUT 180 DEGREES AND HIT ON THE NOSE, THEN THE LEFT WING. BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR BOXES WERE TORN OUT OF THE FUSELAGE, WHICH WAS ALSO DAMAGED.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,602 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 320 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 4,555 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,548 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1993; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°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.