# NTSB ANC04LA075: Cessna 180, N3267D, Talkeetna, AK, July 11, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 10, 2004, 16:15 local (Jul 11, 2004, 00:15 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 62.166667, -150.550003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.1667&lon=-150.5500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59642 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA075 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59642/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA075 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during cruise flight, which resulted in the airplane impacting the lake. A factor associated with the accident was a downdraft, and low altitude flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - low altitude flight/maneuver, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The commercial pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported he took off from a lake, and was going to fly over a cabin at the opposite end to let the occupants know he was departing. He said while cruising across the lake, the airplane encountered a downdraft and impacted the water. He said he was knocked unconscious, and does not remember any details about the accident. He was extricated from the airplane by the passenger, and taken to the shore. The pilot said the airplane rolled over during the accident, and sank to the bottom of the lake. He noted the airplane received airframe structural damage during the accident. ## Factual narrative On July 10, 2004, about 1615 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N3267D, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with water, when it encountered a downdraft during cruise flight over Amber Lake, about 28 miles southwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the commercial pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The pilot and sole passenger both received minor injuries. The airplane departed Amber Lake for Anchorage, Alaska, about 1610. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 12, the pilot said as he departed the lake, he was going to fly over a cabin at the opposite end of the lake to let the occupants know he was on his way to Anchorage. He said while cruising across the lake, the airplane encountered a downdraft and impacted the water. He said he was knocked unconscious, and does not remember any details about the accident. He said he was extricated from the airplane by the passenger, and taken to the shore. The airplane rolled over during the accident, and sank to the bottom of the lake. In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 22, the pilot reported structural damage to the airframe. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3267D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3267D), registered now, S/N 32065, built 1955 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 180 - Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32065 - Airframe hours: 6606 - Engines: Continental O-520 240 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Danny Davidson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 20, 2003, 50 hours before - Departed: Talkeetna, AK - Destination: PANC, Anchorage, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; commercial; 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: 4,817 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 4,666 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040710013159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040710013159A), Jul 10, 2004: Cessna 180, Talkeetna, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight over some trees when a downdraft pushed his aircraft toward the ground. The aircraft's floats contacted… 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. --- 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.