Cessna 172A accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, August 1, 1995
On August 1, 1995 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N345RB, was destroyed in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN TO COMPENSATE FOR SUCH CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DOWNDRAFTS, THE PROXIMITY OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1995 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N345RB · registry record · serial 47512
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE SCOUTING FOR SHEEP IN A REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS AREA AT 5,500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN AT FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE GROUND. DURING IMPACT, THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED DOWNSLOPE AND CAME TO REST AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 4,800 FEET. PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR THE AIRPLANE INDICATED THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF A 350 FOOT PER MINUTE CLIMB. THE PILOT REPORTED SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA.
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: 3,650 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,576 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1995; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5L6 Wasilla AK at 1:42 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.