Cessna 180A accident near Charlie Lake, Alaska, September 20, 1993
On September 20, 1993, a Cessna 180A, registered N9600B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlie Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DELAYED HIS DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, AND DID NOT FOLLOW THE STANDARD PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES FOR THE ABORTED TAKEOFF. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1993
- Place
- Charlie Lake, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N9600B · no longer on the register · serial 32897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT WHEN HE REALIZED HE PROBABLY WOULD NOT GET THE FLOATPLANE AIRBORNE BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE LAKE. HE SAID HE MISTAKENLY PULLED THE PROPELLER CONTROL KNOB BACK INSTEAD OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL KNOB. THE AIRPLANE HIT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE AND WENT UP ONTO THE TUNDRA, DURING WHICH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE AIRPLANE.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 545 hours in all; 475 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1993; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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 N9600B 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.