Cessna 180H accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, August 18, 1997
On August 18, 1997 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N91412, was destroyed in an accident near Arctic Village, 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty wind conditions. Factors were the gusty wind conditions, and the pilot's misjudging the wind information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1997 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Arctic Village, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N91412 · no longer on the register · serial 180-52075
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was at maximum gross weight and was departing a lake situated at 3,000 feet msl. After takeoff, in variable winds of 15 knots gusting to 25 knots, the pilot began to retract flaps when the airplane had accelerated to 75 mph. The pilot stated the airspeed dropped to 40 mph, the airplane stalled at about 50-60 feet agl, and descended into the water.
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: 692 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 607 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,976 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1997; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R-25 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Index Lake AK at 8:15 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.