# NTSB ANC22LA002: Cessna 180J, N9966N, Chickaloon, AK, October 13, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 13, 2021, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Chickaloon, AK · APPROX 11 MI NE OF PALMER - Coordinates: 61.702064, -148.97528 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7021&lon=-148.9753&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 104116 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC22LA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104116/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104116 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA002 ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) A mid-air collision for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Cessna 180J, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072622), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [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: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Cessna 180J, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=2072622), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md) ## Analysis (aircraft 1) The pilot reported that while in level cruise flight over an area of remote and unpopulated terrain, at an altitude of about 1,500 ft mean sea level, he noticed a dark flash in the upper left corner of the windscreen. He immediately pitched the nose of the airplane down and to the right to avoid another airplane. With his airplane operating normally and unaware that the two airplanes had contacted each other, he continued to his destination airport. During a postflight inspection, he noticed black marks and metal damage on the upper surface of the left wing. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane had sustained substantial damage to the left wing and what appeared to be a black tire mark. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The other aircraft involved has not been identified. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N9966N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9966N), registered now, S/N 18052621, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180J - Registry model: [Cessna 180J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180j) (registry code 2072622) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18052621 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 925.5 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 Series 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 27, 2020 - Departed: BGQ, Big Lake, AK - Destination: PAQ, Palmer, AK ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: Unknown (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: unknown unknown - Category: Airplane - Serial number: unk - Engines: Unknown unknown - Fire: Unknown - Operator: unk - Registered owner: unk - Airworthiness certificate: Unknown - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N9966N; age 75; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 19, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 25,000 total, 940 in this make and model, 17,725 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 29.24 inHg - Observed at: PAAQ, 7 nm away - METAR: PAAQ 132053Z 35005KT 10SM OVC065 03/M05 A2924 RMK AO2 SLP905 T00331050 50000 ## 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 20211013017051A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211013017051A), Oct 13, 2021: Cessna 180J, Sutton, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot states that he left big lake for a sight seeing flight near Sutton. Once over Sutton the pilot turned the aircraft to the southwest toward palmer (paq)… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104116. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12857335&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident pictures (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 411 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12869547&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20pictures-Rel.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.