- Date
- April 13, 2000, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Igiugig, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2790CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000413042189A
- Case key
- 48957
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather. Factors associated with the accident were the variable crosswind conditions, and the pilot's inadequate compensation for those wind conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated private pilot was attempting a southeasterly departure from an 800 feet long sand bar. He stated that the takeoff run required a correction for a strong left crosswind. During the takeoff run, as the airplane became airborne, a strong gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right, and over an area of soft snow. He said that when the wind decreased, the airplane's main wheels contacted the soft snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported wind conditions at the time of the accident to be from the east at 20 knots, with peak gusts to 40 knots.
Factual narrative
On April 13, 2000, about 1430 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N2790C, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote site, about 15 miles northwest of Igiugig, Alaska, at latitude 59 degrees, 32 minutes north, and longitude 156 degrees, 10 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot, and the one passenger aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0800, at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 14, the pilot reported that he was attempting a southeasterly departure from an 800 feet long sand bar. He stated that the takeoff run required a correction for a strong left crosswind. During the takeoff run, as the airplane became airborne, a strong gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right, and over an area of soft snow. He said that when the wind decreased, the airplane's main wheels contacted the soft snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
The pilot reported wind conditions at the time of the accident to be from the east at 20 knots, with peak gusts to 40 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2790C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26334
- Airframe hours
- 4,059
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3R, 160 lbs thrust, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Timothy R. Sharp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 27, 1999 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- IGG · Igiugig, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 991 total · 915 in this make and model · 950 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 20 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.