Cessna 180B accident near Cantwell, Alaska, April 15, 1995
On April 15, 1995 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N115F, was destroyed in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. WEATHER CONDITIONS CONSISTING OF LOW CEILINGS AND TURBULENCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1995 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N115F · registry record · serial 50495
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED FOR A REMOTE AIRSTRIP TO TRANSPORT SUPPLIES TO A MINING/GRAVEL OPERATION. THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT CROSSED A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS OVER GLACIER COVERED TERRAIN. THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER OUTLOOK BRIEFING FROM THE FAA THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FLIGHT. HE DID NOT OBTAIN ANY UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT. THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED MARGINAL VFR TO IFR CONDITIONS SPREADING INTO THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, AN AIRMET WAS ISSUED ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT FOR TURBULENCE NEAR MOUNTAINS. RESCUE PERSONNEL, ALERTED TO THE ACCIDENT BY THE AIRCRAFT'S ELT, COULD NOT INITIALLY REACH THE CRASH SITE DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY IN LIGHT SNOW AND SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN ABOUT 6,000 FEET MSL.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 27, 1994; 452 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK at 9:20 am
- Destination: 5Z5 Kantishna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°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 N115F 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.