Cessna 180 accident near Wrangell, Alaska, February 5, 1989
On February 5, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9024C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PLT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND DURING TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND GUSTING WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wrangell, Alaska · 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
- N9024C · registry record · serial 31072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM A ROUGH AND UNEVEN FROZEN RIVER IN THE SKI EQUIPPED ACFT. THE TAKEOFF WAS MADE INTO WINDS OF 20 KTS GUSTING TO 35 KTS. AS THE ACFT REACHED A SPEED OF APRX 35 KTS, A GUST OF WIND, COMBINED WITH THE ACFT BOUNCING ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN, TIPPED THE ACFT, CAUSING THE WING TO DRAG AND THE ACFT TO CARTWHEEL.
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: 350 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA89LA047.