# NTSB ANC07LA108: Cessna 172, N758TG, Bethel, AK, September 28, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 27, 2007, 20:30 local (Sep 28, 2007, 04:30 UTC)
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Coordinates: 60.75, -161.841111111111
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7500&lon=-161.8411&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 28, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66775
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07LA108
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66775/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA108

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, approach
  - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

The private pilot was landing a float-equipped airplane on a portion of a river that was surrounded by trees.  During the northerly approach to the river, just before touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left, and the pilot overcorrected to the right. The right wing collided with a tree that was hanging over the river.  The airplane subsequently pivoted to the right, and descended into the river, sustaining structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On September 27, 2007, about 2030 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N758TG, sustained substantial damage while landing on a river, about 44 miles northwest of Bethel, Alaska.  The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred.  Of the three people on board, the private pilot and one passenger sustained no injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.  The flight originated at the Bethel Seaplane Base, Bethel, about 1930.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 28, the pilot reported that he was landing on a portion of a river that was surrounded by trees, and that his northerly approach required a correction for a slight right crosswind. He said that just before touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left, he overcorrected to the right, and the airplane's right wing collided with a tree that was hanging over the river.  The airplane pivoted to the right and descended into the river.  The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage.

The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N758TG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N758TG-2008-10-01), registration cancelled 2008-10-01, S/N R1723343, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172
- Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: R1723088
- Airframe hours: 3000
- Engines: Continental IO-360 210 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Myron E. Angstman
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2007, 150 hours before
- Departed: Z59, Bethel, AK
- Destination: Bethel, AK
- Airport: runway 36, water

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,950 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 50 °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 20070927023099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070927023099A), Sep 27, 2007: Cessna R172K, Bethel, AK, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot states he was attempting to land on a slough approximately 44.2 miles northwest of Bethel to drop his daughter and friend off to hunt moose. After…

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.

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