# NTSB ANC15LA011: Cessna 180, N9280C, Glennallen, AK, February 9, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 9, 2015, 10:25 local (19:25 UTC) - Place: Glennallen, AK - Coordinates: 62.056388, -145.252502 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.0564&lon=-145.2525&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 12, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Wasilla FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 90732 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC15LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90732/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90732 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA011 ## Probable cause An in-flight fire and a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was taking photographs over a remote area. About 20 minutes into the flight, he noticed the smell of smoke in the cockpit and immediately began a return to the airport. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to lose power, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He performed a forced landing in an area of heavily wooded terrain. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot stated that there was a small fire in the engine cowling that he was able to extinguish by packing snow into the cowling. Due to the remote location of the accident site, the airplane was not recovered or examined after the accident, and the reason for the fire and loss of engine power could not be determined. . ## Factual narrative On February 9, 2015, about 1025 Alaska standard time, a Cessna 180 airplane, N9280C, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a possible in-flight fire and partial loss of engine power about 5 miles southeast of Glennallen, Alaska. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. The privately owned airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules local personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska, about 1000. In a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take photographs in an area east of Glennallen. About 20 minutes into the flight, he noticed the smell of smoke in the cockpit, and immediately began a return to the airport. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to lose power, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He performed a forced landing in an area of heavily wooded terrain. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot stated that there was a small fire in the engine cowling that he was able to extinguish by packing snow into the cowling. The airplane was equipped with a Spidertracks satellite tracking system, which transmits real-time position reports of the airplane, capable of being viewed from any computer. After being alerted that the airplane had gone down, a local pilot in the area landed near the accident site, and picked up the pilot. Due to the remoteness of the accident site, the airplane was not recovered and the NTSB IIC was not able to examine the airframe or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9280C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9280C-2018-03-16), registration cancelled 2018-03-16, S/N 31379, 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: 31379 - Year built: 1955 - Airframe hours: 4324 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 2, 2014 - Departed: Gulkana, AK - Destination: Gulkana, AK - Equipment: Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 16, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 33,490 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 92 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: -27 °F, dew point -36 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: PAGK, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150209002889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150209002889A), Feb 9, 2015: Cessna 180, Gulkana, AK, Destroyed. The PIC stated that the aircraft had been hangared and an engine oil heater/blanket were used for approximately two hours prior to start due to the extremely… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90732. 385 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 385 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445176&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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.