- Date
- August 30, 2024, 16:18 local (Aug 31, 2024, 00:18 UTC)
- Place
- Tok, AK · 50 miles SW of Tok
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N41WPCessna 150H
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - Fairbanks
- FAA report
- 20240830013179A
- Case key
- 195032
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 airplane’s encounter with gusting winds resulting in a loss of altitude with performance insufficient to outclimb terrain.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that, while flying in a valley, he realized that his airplane did not have the climb performance to clear an upcoming ridgeline. The pilot began a left turn to exit the valley in the direction he had entered. The pilot reported that, during the turn, he encountered a gust of wind that caused his left wing to drop and his rate of turn to increase. During the attempted recovery, the airplane lost altitude and impacted terrain which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41WP
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068019
- Airframe hours
- 3,246.2
- Engine
- Continental Engine O-200-A48B, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Montgomery Ryan K
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 2024
- Departed
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- PAGK · Gulkana, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 40
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Military
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 30, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 935 total · 101 in this make and model · 290 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.83 inHg
- Observed at
- PFTO, 50 nm away
- METAR
- PFTO 302356Z AUTO 18006KT 10SM CLR 18/00 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP749 T01830000 10183 20122 58012 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.