20010307039609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180 · Ophir, AK · March 7, 2001

Date: March 7, 2001 · 15:00 local
Place: Ophir, AK
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9383C
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC01LA041
Reported as: Cessna 180
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,500 total3,500 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N9383CRegistered now · Cessna 180S/N 31781 · Built 1955 Airframe modelCessna 180 Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On March 07, 2001 a wheel ski equipped Cessna 180 N9383C received substantial damage during take off from the river at Ophir, Alaska. The pilot attempted a take-off to the south and did not reach flying speed until he was about 200 feet from the river bank. The aircraft collided with the tops of several jack spruce trees and lost flying speed, settling into the snow. The pilot and passenger were not hurt. Pilot noted that the temperature was about 30 degrees, making the snow very soft and sticky.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 07, 2001 A WHEEL SKI EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 N9383C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKE OFF FROM THE RIVER AT OPHIR, ALASKA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKE-OFF TO THE SOUTH AND DID NOT REACH FLYING SPEED UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE RIVER BANK. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TOPS OF SEVERAL JACK SPRUCE TREES AND LOST FLYING SPEED, SETTLING INTO THE SNOW. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT HURT. PILOT NOTED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 30 DEGREES, MAKING THE SNOW VERY SOFT AND STICKY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC01LA041Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOphir, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, and his inadequate preflight planning/preparation resulting in a collision with trees during the initial climb. Factors in the accident were soft, snow-covered terrain, and trees in the area of…Mar 7, 2001 · Substantial damage