# Accident 20120330007359A: Cessna 180, Palmer, AK, March 30, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 30, 2012, 13:54 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1864° N, 148.5925° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1864&lon=-148.5925&mi=10
- Aircraft: N266V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N266V) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 180 (registry code 2072602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180
- Reported engine: CONTINENTAL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 400 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC12CA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120330007359A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE KNIK GLACIER.  THE PILOT STATED HE HAD FLOWN OVER THE AREA SEVERAL TIMES PREVIOUSLY ON THE SAME DAY.  HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE GLACIER SURFACE.  THE WEATHER WAS VFR WITH A HIGH SUN AND GOOD ILLUMINATION ABOVE THE LIP OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.ON THE MISHAP FLIGHT, THE PILOT FLEW BELOW THE LIP OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING AND REALIZED THE AVAILABLE LIGHT WAS DIMINISHING QUICKLY TO THE POINT WHERE HE EXPERIENCED LOW OR FLAT LIGHTING. THE PILOT IDENTIFIED ELEVATED TERRAIN IN FRONT OF HIS AIRPLANE THAT HE DETERMINED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OUT CLIMB.  THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE GLACIER.  THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO ESTABLISH A NORMAL DESCENT RATE FOR LANDING RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE.UPON LANDING, THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED.THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

## 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 ANC12CA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA029), Mar 30, 2012: Cessna 180 (N266V), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during low-level maneuvering.

## Other reports on N266V (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20100605005269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100605005269A), Jun 5, 2010: Cessna 180 (N266V), Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. Airman made an Off Airport landing on the mud flats next to the cook inlet. During the landing roll out the aircraft's main landinig gear struck a soft spot in…

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.