- Date
- August 19, 2025, 05:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4721UCessna 180G
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report January 9, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250819011149A
- Case key
- 200820
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 a rate of climb sufficient to clear obstacles during takeoff, resulting in a collision with tree-covered terrain.
Findings · 4
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, shortly after takeoff from a remote, wet, gravel-covered, rough and uneven airstrip that was surrounded by trees, the airplane began to unexpectedly descend just after becoming airborne. He attempted to recover by applying aft elevator input; however, the airplane settled into an area of tree and vegetation-covered terrain at the departure end of the airstrip. As a result, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer, 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
- N4721U
- Reported as
- Cessna 180G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051421
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 2,928.2
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 2025 · 50 hours before
- Destination
- 78AA · North Pole, AK
- Airport
- NONE · East Hayes Creek
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, 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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 10, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,068 total · 45 in this make and model · 1,857 as pilot in command · 87 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- ABI, 23 nm away
- METAR
- PABI 191253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC070 11/11 A2988 RMK AO2 RAB16E42 SLP121 P0001 T01110106 TSNO $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4721U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.