- Date
- October 30, 2009, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kotzebue, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8944TCessna 182C
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- Case key
- 75135
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 maintain directional control and his selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector contacted the NTSB investigator-in-charge and reported that he had received information about an unreported accident at a remote off-airport site. He said the information indicated that an accident had occurred about 30 days prior, and that the airplane was still at the accident site. The inspector traveled to the site and confirmed that the airplane was there and that the left wing and left wing spar were damaged. The inspector also reported that the airplane had substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The inspector said that he returned to the local airport where the airplane was usually kept and spoke with a certificated aircraft mechanic familiar with the accident. The mechanic identified the pilot and told the inspector that the pilot attempted to take off from a frozen lake but hit a crack in the ice. The mechanic reported that the airplane nosed down, striking the propeller and left wing on the ice. He also reported that the pilot had one passenger. The inspector reported that he made contact with the pilot, but the pilot refused to cooperate with the investigation. The pilot has not responded to any NTSB requests for information.
Factual narrative
A FAA Flight Standards District Office inspector contacted the NTSB investigator-in-charge, and reported that he had received information about an unreported accident at a remote off-airport site. He said the information indicated that an accident had occurred about 30 days prior, and that the airplane was still at the accident site. The inspector traveled to the site, and confirmed that the airplane was there, and that the left wing and left wing spar were damaged. The inspector also reported that the airplane had substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The inspector said he returned to the local airport where the airplane was usually kept, and spoke with a certificated aircraft mechanic familiar with the accident. The mechanic identified the pilot, and told the inspector that the pilot attempted to takeoff from a frozen lake, but hit a crack in the ice. The mechanic reported that the airplane nosed down, striking the propeller and left wing on the ice. He also reported that the pilot had one passenger. The inspector reported that he made contact with the pilot, but the pilot refused to cooperate with the investigation. The pilot has not responded to any NTSB requests for information.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8944T
- Reported as
- Cessna 182C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 52844
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John K Baker
- Registered owner
- Baker Bruce Andrew
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Kotzebue, AK
- Destination
- PAOT · Kotzebue, 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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 10 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 28, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 168 KB in all.