Cessna 180 accident near Eureka Lodge, Alaska, March 18, 1994
On March 18, 1994 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2423F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eureka Lodge, 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 SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1994 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Eureka Lodge, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2423F · registry record · serial 51623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY ALONGSIDE THE SHELTON AIRSTRIP BECAUSE THE SNOW CONDITIONS APPEARED TO BE BETTER ON THE HIGHWAY THAN ON THE AIRSTRIP. DURING THE LANDING THE PILOT NOTED A HIGH SNOW BERM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND WHILE AVOIDING THE LEFT BERM THE RIGHT WHEEL ENCOUNTERED DEEP SNOW. THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT INTO THE DEEP SNOW AND OVERTURNED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,541 hours in all; 457 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1993; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 11:50 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 5°F (-15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from 5GN, 80 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2423F 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.