Cessna 170B accident near Chugiak, Alaska, March 7, 1994
On March 7, 1994 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4310B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION MAKING. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1994 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4310B · registry record · serial 26654
- 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 ATTEMPTED TO FLY 'UP VALLEY' WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO TURN OUT OF THE VALLEY. UNABLE TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE VALLEY THE PILOT MADE A LANDING IN DEEP SNOW ON A STEEP INCLINE AT THE 3000 FT LEVEL, 100 FEET BELOW THE RIDGE LINE.
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: 564 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 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: 3,541 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1993; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 25 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.