Cessna 180 accident near Nikiski, Alaska, August 17, 1995
On August 17, 1995 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9797G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nikiski, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. SOFT TERRAIN AND CONTAMINATION IN THE LEFT BRAKE CYLINDER WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1995 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Nikiski, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9797G · registry record · serial 18052297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING IN A REMOTE AREA TO GO FISHING. THE LANDING AREA WAS COVERED WITH GRAVEL, ABOUT 1,000 FEET LONG, AND ORIENTED ON A 090/270 DEGREE HEADING. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE LANDED TO THE WEST; AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE END OF THE LANDING AREA, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BEGAN A TURN AT TAXI SPEED. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL APPEARED TO HIT A SOFT PORTION OF SAND, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. ON 8/28/95, AN AIRPLANE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER CONTAINED CONTAMINATION THAT PREVENTED THE BRAKE FROM RELEASING, ONCE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. AFTER BEING CLEANED, THE BRAKE CYLINDER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWD Seward AK at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC95LA153.