Cessna 180 accident near St Mary'S, Alaska, December 31, 1996
On December 31, 1996 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N7066, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Mary'S, Alaska (St Mary'S airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 improper use of carburetor heat, and subsequent loss of engine power. Factors associated with the accident were the presence of ice crystals in the atmosphere, and unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1996 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- St Mary'S, Alaska · St Mary'S · cases near this airport · map
- 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
- N7066 · no longer on the register · serial 51304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were landing at the conclusion of a cross-country, state-government flight. The pilot began a straight-in approach and applied carburetor heat about 600 feet above the ground in preparation for landing. The engine began to run rough. The pilot continued with the approach, and about 300 feet above the ground, increased the throttle. The engine lost power, and the pilot performed an emergency landing off the left side of the runway. The weather conditions were clear, temperature was -2 degrees F, and dew point was -8 degrees F. The pilot reported observing visible ice crystals. After recovery of the airplane, an engine examination did not disclose any mechanical malfunction. The engine ran at idle RPM with the carburetor heat control in the 'Hot' and 'Cold' positions.
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: 970 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,030 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1996; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R25 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BET Bethel AK at 8:12 pm
- Destination: KSM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -2°F (-19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PAS
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7066: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-R25 12,780 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- St. Mary'S Airport · nearest airport
- Bethel Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,146 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC97TA016.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.