Cessna 180K accident near King Salmon, Alaska, July 13, 1995
On July 13, 1995 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N63336, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE DOWNDRAFT AND CROSSWIND WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1995 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N63336 · registry record · serial 18052841
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND, THE FLOATPLANE ENCOUNTERED A MICROBURST (DOWNDRAFT) AND MADE A HARD LANDING ON THE WATER. SHE ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING. SHE STATED THAT DURING THE ENSUING TAKEOFF RUN, WHILE STILL ON THE WATER, THE WIND FORCED THE FLOATPLANE TO THE LEFT TOWARD THE SHORELINE, DESPITE HER ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT BACK TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED ROCKS NEAR THE SHORELINE AND NOSED OVER.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 99Z Finger Lake AK at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.