Cessna 172M accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 15, 1998
On May 15, 1998 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9212H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions. Contributing factors were the terrain induced turbulence, clouds, the pilot's overconfidence in his abilities, and mountainous terrain conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1998 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9212H · no longer on the register · serial 17266018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument rated private pilot was issued adverse condition warnings and urgent pilot reports for severe turbulence. His route of flight took him up channeled, mountainous terrain requiring a climb to a minimum of 9,000 feet msl. Winds aloft were forecast to be between 28 and 41 knots. Surface winds were forecast to be in a downslope direction at 25 knots gusting to 50 knots from channeled terrain. Cessna 172 performance charts for the 180 horsepower engine indicate a maximum climb rate available of 405 feet per minute at 8,000 feet pressure altitude. Ceilings of 8,500 feet were reported on the west side of the mountains. The pilot radioed that he was going to try to get on top through a hole. The airplane was located on the west side of a peak, in deep snow, at 8,600 feet msl, about 40 hours after the departure. The Emergency Locator Transmitter signal was masked by terrain and wreckage. Both occupants were lightly dressed, and appeared to have survived the impact. The pilot was described by acquaintances as inexperienced and prone to taking chances with the airplane.
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
- Flight time: 288 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGQ Big Lake AK at 11:40 am
- Destination: PSG Petersburg AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 25 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from PAA, 38 miles away
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.