# Accident 20190915022489A: Cessna 175A, Nenana, AK, September 15, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 15, 2019, 12:58 local time
- Place: Nenana, AK
- Airport: Off Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 64.5278° N, 150.4233° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.5278&lon=-150.4233&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6837E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6837E-2022-12-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 175A (registry code 2072504, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental GO-300 series (registry code 17024, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 175A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,600 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 43 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA555](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA555) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190915022489A

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE IN AIRMAN?S WORDS:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019, AT AN UNNAMED LAKE APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NENANA, ALASKA. PROCEEDED TO DO A PRE-FLIGHT TO INCLUDE 10 GALLONS OF FUEL ADDED.

WARMED THE AIRPLANE UP, TOOK OFF THE LAKE TO THE NORTH WITH A NORTHEAST WIND OF APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20, ESTIMATED. DEPARTED THE WATER WITH SOME DIFFICULTY DUE TO THE WINDS. THE TERRAIN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE IS A RIDGE APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET IN ELEVATION ABOVE THE LAKE, CAUSING SOME DOWN DRAFTS. PROCEEDED TO CLIMB OUT WITH SOME DIFFICULTY. GOT TO THE END OF THE LAKE, AND LOST SOME ALTITUDE. MADE THE DECISION TO TURN AND RETURN TO THE WATER. AS I TURNED DOWNWIND, A GUST OF WIND HIT MY TAIL AND STALLED THE LEFT WING AND CRASHED. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONSCIOUSNESS AND EVACUATE THE AIRPLANE AND WALK BACK TO CAMP APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE. AT WHICH TIME ANOTHER AIRPLANE CARRYING THE ELT BEACON LANDED TO ASSIST AND FLEW ME INTO NORTH POLE AND HELPED ME GET TO THE HOSPITAL. MY ORIGINAL DESTINATION WAS GOING TO BE UNNAMED LAKE TO NENANA AND NO MORE FLYING THAT DAY.

IF I HAD MAINTAINED NORTHWARD DEPARTURE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAVE MADE IT TO A SECOND LAKE FOR LANDING OR I COULD HAVE PULLED POWER AND POSSIBLY LANDED ON THE VERY END OF THE LAKE. EITHER DECISION WOULD BE PREFERRED OVER TURNING BACK TO THE DEPARTING LAKE.

THE AIRPLANE WAS TOTALED WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, FLOATS, FUSELAGE AND ENGINE. THE DEPARTURE TIME WAS APPROXIMATED 12:45 PM. NO SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE. OTHER THAN WIND CONDITIONS BEING STRONG, CLOUDS AND TEMPERATURE WERE ACCEPTABLE.

## 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 GAA19CA555](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA555), Sep 15, 2019: Cessna 175 (N6837E), Toklat, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in variable, gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic…

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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