20241004014389A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180G · Big Lake, AK · October 4, 2024

Date: October 4, 2024 · 17:30 local
Place: Big Lake, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4631U
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC25FA001
Reported as: Cessna 180G
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N4631URegistered now · Cessna 180GS/N 18051331 · Built 1963 Airframe modelCessna 180G 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.

The early evening hours the day of the accident had strong, gusty and variable winds in the area. The lake the aircraft was preparing to depart from was sheltered by the surrounding trees. The water was calm, but the PIC could see it was windy above the treeline. The PIC and the passenger taxied around for several minutes trying to decide what direction the prevailing winds were coming from. The PIC decided to take off to the north. As the aircraft started to get to tree top level, they felt strong winds pushing them from the south. A strong gust of wind pushed the aircraft into a stand of tall trees. The right wing impacted the trees, causing the aircraft to crash into the lake inverted and partially submerged.

As the FAA filed it

THE EARLY EVENING HOURS THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HAD STRONG, GUSTY AND VARIABLE WINDS IN THE AREA. THE LAKE THE AIRCRAFT WAS PREPARING TO DEPART FROM WAS SHELTERED BY THE SURROUNDING TREES. THE WATER WAS CALM, BUT THE PIC COULD SEE IT WAS WINDY ABOVE THE TREELINE. THE PIC AND THE PASSENGER TAXIED AROUND FOR SEVERAL MINUTES TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT DIRECTION THE PREVAILING WINDS WERE COMING FROM. THE PIC DECIDED TO TAKE OFF TO THE NORTH. AS THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO GET TO TREE TOP LEVEL, THEY FELT STRONG WINDS PUSHING THEM FROM THE SOUTH. A STRONG GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A STAND OF TALL TREES. THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED THE TREES, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH INTO THE LAKE INVERTED AND PARTIALLY SUBMERGED.

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 ANC25FA001Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportBig Lake, AKOn October 4, 2024, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N4631U, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska. The pilot was fatally injured, and one passenger sustained serious…Oct 5, 2024 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4631U · 2

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

Accident 20080728843119ATouch And Go Landing · Anchorage, AK(-23) Airman told investigators that he was performing touch and goes at Merrill Field in preparation to leave the state with the aircraft. On landing the aircraft bounced and veered to the left. The aircaft ground looped striking the right wing tip. The…Jul 28, 2008 · Substantial damage Accident 19760923030599ATakeoff Ground Roll · Kulik Lake, AKSep 23, 1976 · Substantial damage