# Accident 19990314014149A: Cessna 180G, Fairbanks, AK, March 14, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 14, 1999, 18:28 local time - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Airport: Fairbanks International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 64.9004° N, 148.1592° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.9004&lon=-148.1592&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4721U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4721U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 180G (registry code 2072616, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180g) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180G - Reported engine: CONT O470R - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 275 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA033) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990314014149A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MARCH 14, 1999, ABOUT 1828 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 180G AIRPLANE, N4721U, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE FAIRBANKS AIRPORT AT 1825. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON MARCH 15, 1999, AT 1115, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER DEPARTURE, HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO LEVEL THE AIRPLANE AT 1,500 FEET, WHICH IS THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, AND HE BEGAN AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROACH TO THE SKI STRIP AT THE FAIRBANKS AIRPORT. THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS DIMINSHED, AND THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 1R. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE THEN QUIT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN AREA OF SNOW BETWEEN THE END OF THE SKI STRIP, AND THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 1R. THE AIRPLANE THEN NOSED OVER, AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, THE RUDDER, AND THE LEFT WING LIFT STRUT. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE OUT OF A HANGER AND SUMPED THE WING FUEL TANKS. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED OUTSIDE THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHILE THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WARMED. NO FURTHER SUMPING OF THE WING TANKS WAS CONDUCTED. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER TO LEVEL THE AIRPLANE AT THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, AND THE PILOT BEGAN AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROACH TO A SNOW-COVERED AIRSTRIP LOCATED NEAR THE APPROACH END OF AN ASPHALT RUNWAY. THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS DIMINISHED, AND THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON THE LARGER ASPHALT RUNWAY. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN AREA OF SNOW BETWEEN THE END OF THE SMALL AIRSTRIP AND THE BEGINNING OF THE ASPHALT RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER, AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, THE RUDDER, AND THE LEFT WING LIFT STRUT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A WRINKLE IN THE LEFT WING FUEL BLADDER, AND 3 OUNCES OF WATER IN THE GASCOLATOR. ## 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 ANC99LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA033), Mar 14, 1999: Cessna 180G (N4721U), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Water contamination of the fuel supply, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection to ensure all water was removed from the fuel supply. Factors in the accident were a wrinkle in the wing fuel… ## Other reports on N4721U (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20250819011149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250819011149A), Aug 19, 2025: Cessna 180G (N4721U), Delta Junction, AK, Substantial damage. Per pilot statement, on the morning of the accident flight, pilot noted winds out of the south at an estimated 5KTS and temperature 38-40 deg f. pilot reported… - [Accident 19800901063389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800901063389A), Sep 1, 1980: Cessna 180G (N4721U), AK, No damage - [Accident 19800821066059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800821066059A), Aug 21, 1980: Cessna 180G (N4721U), Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Seaplane developed high sink rate on practice forced landing. Bounced several times. Flown back to base. Warped wing. 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.