Cessna 180H accident near Anchorage, Alaska, February 22, 1998
On February 22, 1998 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N9028M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway. Factors in the accident were: snow covered terrain at the approach end of the runway and flat light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1998 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N9028M · registry record · serial 18052128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane during flat light conditions. An area of plowed snow was located at the approach end of the runway. The airplane's main landing gear touched down about 15 feet short of the plowed portion of the runway. The airplane nosed down, and slid off the edge of the runway where it then nosed over.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,724 hours in all; 2,342 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,619 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1997; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,190 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SXQ Soldotna AK at 2:38 pm
- Destination: MRI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:16 pm from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.