Cessna 180 accident near Juneau, Alaska, October 31, 1983
On October 31, 1983 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N4448P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau International 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1983 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau International · 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
- N4448P · no longer on the register · serial 31950
- 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 PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE PREFLT, HE THOUGHT THE FUEL GAUGES READ FULL. HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS APRX 2500 FT & 4 MI FROM THE ARPT, WHEN THE PLT REALIZE THE PLANE HAD VERY LITTLE FUEL ON BOARD. HE TURNED BACK TO LAND, HOWEVER, THE ENG LOST POWER BEFORE THE PLANE REACHED THE ARPT. DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A RIVER BOTTOM, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A DRAIN DITCH. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR, LEFT WING, ENG COWL & PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,804 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 4,704 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,225 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 1983; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNU Juneau AK at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 8,456 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from JNU
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.