- Date
- September 8, 2000, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sterling, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2347CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000908042389A
- Case key
- 50281
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 failure to attain clearance from trees during takeoff from a touch-and-go landing. A factor associated with the accident is the pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point.
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 pilot reported that she was doing a touch-and-go landing on the 1,500 feet gravel runway. Immediately after touchdown, approximately 500-1000 foot beyond the landing threshold, the pilot applied power and initiated the takeoff. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane collided with trees and terrain approximately 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. No mechanical anomalies or failures were reported with the airplane that may have contributed to the accident.
Factual narrative
On September 8, 2000, about 1300, Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180 airplane, N2347C, sustained substantial damage after colliding with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip near Sterling, Alaska, at 60 degrees, 32 minutes north latitude, 150 degrees, 52 minutes west longitude. The airplane is owned and operated by the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal/pleasure flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and the one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from Kenai, Alaska, about 1245.
In a telephone interview on January 29, 2001, the pilot reported that during a touch-and-go landing on the 1,300-foot gravel runway, the airplane touched down approximately 500-1000 feet beyond the landing threshold. Immediately after touchdown, the pilot applied power and initiated the takeoff. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane collided with trees and terrain approximately 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway.
The pilot reported that the airplane encountered turbulence and a downdraft shortly after departure.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
No mechanical anomalies or failures were reported with the airplane that may have contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2347C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30647
- Airframe hours
- 5,000
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Margot A. Lepine
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2000 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Airport
- 88AK · Dutch Landing Strip, runway 7, 1,300 × 75 ft, gravel
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SXQ, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.