Cessna 170B accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, August 14, 1998
On August 14, 1998 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8181A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arctic Village, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident were variable, and gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1998 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Arctic Village, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8181A · no longer on the register · serial 25033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 2,000 feet long lake, in a float equipped airplane. He reported that about midway in the takeoff run, he reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. He said that as the airplane became airborne and passed over the departure end of the lake, a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to lose altitude. He said that as the airplane continued to lose altitude, the right wing and right float collided with brush covered tundra, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were about 240 degrees at 15 knots with peak gusts to 20 knots.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.