Cessna 172 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, June 10, 1995
On June 10, 1995 at about 6:00 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N13205, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska (Talachulitna Lodge airport). 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE THE WET AND UNEVEN AIRSTRIP SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1995 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · Talachulitna Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N13205 · registry record · serial 17262572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM THE ROUGH AND UNEVEN AIRSTRIP. SHE SAID SHE RAISED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE TO PERFORM A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. SHE WROTE IN HER REPORT TO THE NTSB THAT SHE FAILED TO ADD ENOUGH RIGHT RUDDER, AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT, WENT OFF THE AIRSTRIP, HIT A DITCH AND NOSED DOWN.
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
- Flight time: 91 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 9, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Anchorage Flying Club
The flight
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC95LA072.