# Accident 19980515009549A: Cessna STC172, Palmer, AK, May 15, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 1998, 09:15 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.6195° N, 148.9797° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6195&lon=-148.9797&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9212H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9212H-2013-05-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA STC172
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 288 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98FA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA048) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980515009549A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STRCUK MOUNTAIN AT 8500FT ASL. (.4)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.                                                               (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #ANC98FA048

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98FA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA048), May 15, 1998: Cessna 172M (N9212H), Palmer, AK, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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