Cessna 172 accident near Bethel, Alaska, November 12, 1994
On November 12, 1994 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6322D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. A CROSSWIND AND ICY RUNWAY CONDITIONS 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
- November 12, 1994 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6322D · no longer on the register · serial 17272720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING IN A CROSSWIND AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT WITH 2 PASSENGERS. THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER WAS REPORTING A 20 DEGREE CROSSWIND AND THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DRIFTING OFF OF THE APPROACH COURSE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THEN SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND RAN OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY NEAR THE END. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A SNOW BERM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR TO NIL AND AT TOUCHDOWN, THE CROSSWIND WAS ABOUT 40 DEGREES AT 25 KNOTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 106 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,092 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 30, 1994; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKI Akiak AK at 7:29 pm
- Runway 29, 1,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BET, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N6322D 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.