- Date
- September 1, 2025, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Willow, AK · Willow airport
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2996CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250901015139A
- Case key
- 200963
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 decision to takeoff from an unsuitable runway due to large puddles of water, which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 2
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 flooding had recently occurred at his location and standing water remained in some places on the runway. He taxied up and down the runway and determined it was safe to depart. During the takeoff roll, the airplane experienced resistance when it contacted the first puddle of water, which forced the nose of the airplane down, resulting in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut, vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2996C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30896
- Built
- 1954
- Engine
- Continental O-470A, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- PVT · Pvt, runway 1, 1,100 × 42 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 16, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 300 in this make and model · 320 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS, 18 nm away
- METAR
- PAWS 011856Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM OVC070 16/09 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP223 T01560089
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.