- Date
- August 18, 2026, 19:30 local (Aug 19, 2026, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bettles, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9949NCessna 180J
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260818011219A
- Case key
- 203659
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9949N
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052604
- Built
- 1975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Departed
- Bettles, AK
- Destination
- Same as departure
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.
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- ABT, 1 nm away
- METAR
- PABT 190053Z 21008G16KT 10SM SCT020 BKN038 BKN080 17/13 A2975 RMK SLP082 T01720133
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 N9949N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.
NTSB GAA18CA492Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAmbler, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the left wing and horizontal stabilizer striking the ground.NTSB ANC89FA075Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportAnchorage, AKPilot-in-command's poor judgement, and his lack of initial training (none) in seaplane operations.