# Accident 19981004034629A: Cessna STC172, Russian Mission, AK, October 4, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 4, 1998, 15:00 local time - Place: Russian Mission, AK - Airport: Russian Mission Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.8095° N, 161.4401° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.8095&lon=-161.4401&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6867X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6867X-2000-06-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172B (registry code 2072406, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA STC172 - Reported engine: LYC O360D1A - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,280 total, 50 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA001) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981004034629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON OCTOBER 4, 1998, ABOUT 1500 LOCAL TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 172, N6867X, CRASHED DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE AIRSTRIP AT KAKO MINE. LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF RUSSIAN MISSION, ALASKA. THE PILOT TOOK OFF UPHILL INTO A TWENTY KNOT WIND. RIGHT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED WINDSHEAR AND TRIED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT DOWN THE VALLEY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED.(.19) ON OCTOBER 4, 1998, ABOUT 1500 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N6867X, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE AIRSTRIP AT KAKO, ALASKA, LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF RUSSIAN MISSION, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND THE THREE PASSENGERS ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE ACCIDENT AIRSTRIP ABOUT 1500. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR- IN-CHARGE ON OCTOBER 4, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRSTRIP IS SITUATED WITHIN A VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN ON THREE SIDES, AND THAT THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE NORTHWEST ABOUT 15 TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO DEPART TO THE WEST, AND TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. HE STATED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, AND FAILED TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, AND FUSELANGE. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRSTRIP IS SITUATED WITHIN A VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN ON THREE SIDES, AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE NORTHWEST ABOUT 15 TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO DEPART TO THE WEST, AND TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. HE STATED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, AND FAILED TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, AND FUSELAGE. (.4) ON OCTOBER 4, 1998, ABOUT 1500 LOCAL TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 172 , N6867X, CRASHED DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE AIRSTRIP AT KAKO MINE, LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF RUSSIAN MISSION, ALASKA. THE PILOT TOOK OFF UPHIL INTO A TWENTY KNOT WIND. RIGHT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED WINDSHEAR AND TRIED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT DOWN THE VALLEY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. ## 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 ANC99LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA001), Oct 4, 1998: Cessna 172 (N6867X), Russian Mission, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident are rising terrain, and a downdraft. ## Other reports on N6867X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19950115000449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950115000449A), Jan 15, 1995: Cessna 172B (N6867X), Anvik, AK, Substantial damage. Uneven fuel flow. Slipped to equilize fuel in tanks. Lost power. No restart. Fueled from cans. Sumps not used. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.