Cessna 172 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, March 4, 1996
On March 4, 1996 at about 8:33 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N739YR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of a suitable area for an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1996 · about 8:33 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739YR · registry record · serial 17270917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first pilot, a certificated flight instructor, was providing a demonstration of departure stalls to the second pilot, who was occupying the left front seat. The instructor reported that he applied carburetor heat before beginning the demonstration. At the conclusion of the third stall, the first pilot added power about 1,800 feet mean sea level (MSL). The engine did not respond, and emergency procedures only restored partial power. The airplane continued to descend, and the pilot declared an emergency 'mayday' over the airplane radio. He selected an emergency landing area near the shore of an island, but noticed that the beach area contained large rocks. The pilot then intentionally ditched the airplane about 30 yards from the shore. After touchdown in the water, both pilots swam to shore and the airplane sank. A nearby float equipped airplane responded to the emergency call and picked up the two pilots. An examination of the airplane did not locate a mechanical malfunction. The reported temperature and dew point were 40 and -2 degrees, respectively, which were not conducive to carburetor icing.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 6,350 as pilot in command; 180 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,091 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 27, 1996; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTN AK at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from KTN, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.