# NTSB ANC81FA029: Cessna 180, N7685A, Shishmaref, AK, March 14, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 14, 1981
- Place: Shishmaref, AK · SHISHMAREF, AK
- Location: 66.2381° N, 166.1106° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Shishmaref, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.2381&lon=-166.1106&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 14, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126812
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC81FA029
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC81FA029

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0412  81/3/14  NR.SHISHMAREF,AK      CESSNA 180          CR-  0  0  1  MISCELLANEOUS             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1500                    N7685A              PX-  0  0  3  SEARCH AND RESCUE         AGE 27, 3214 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            300 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          GOLOVIN,AK                  SHISHMAREF,AK
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           COLLIDED WITH: SNOWBANK                                  LANDING: ROLL
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - ENGINE STRUCTURE: CYLINDER ASSEMBLY
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FATIGUE FRACTURE
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - SNOW-COVERED
           TERRAIN - ICY
           TERRAIN - ROUGH/UNEVEN
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
        REMARKS- NO 5 CYL,PN 625859,FAILED IN THREADED AREA NR CYL HEAD.HIT SNOW BERM AT END OF FZN OVRFLOW AREA.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7685A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7685A), registered now, S/N 32582, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180
- Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## 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 19810314009259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810314009259A), Mar 14, 1981: Cessna 180, Shishmaref, AK, Substantial damage. Engine cylinder seperated. Landed on ice & snow-covered tundra. Nosed over.

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.