Cessna 182H accident near Koyuk, Alaska, November 28, 1995
On November 28, 1995 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N1997X, was destroyed in an accident near Koyuk, Alaska (Koyuk airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat. Factors in the accident were carburetor icing conditions and lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1995 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Koyuk, Alaska · Koyuk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1997X · no longer on the register · serial 18256097
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated airline transport pilot reported that he planned a flight to a remote village to conduct a census survey if the weather permitted. While en route, the pilot experienced clear icing conditions and freezing rain at 6,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). He climbed above the conditions to 8,500 feet msl. A layer of stratus clouds initially obscured the village but after passing the village, he noticed that the runway was visible and then made a rapid, low power descent for landing. The airplane entered a left base for landing and the pilot applied carburetor heat about 500 feet above the ground. The engine suddenly lost 80 to 100 percent of power. The pilot performed an emergency landing on an airport access road that paralleled the runway, but was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with a wooden post and a parked airplane. The pilot reported that the cloud cover was consistent with a narrow temperature/dew point spread.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 11,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,565 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1995; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAL Galena AK at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KKA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1997X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.