- Date
- August 26, 1983, 19:45 local (Aug 27, 1983, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2145ZCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830826046709A
- Case key
- 4053
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
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At aprx 1900 adt, the plt & 2 passengers departed north pole, AK on a flt to portage creek strip. During the flt, he contacted flt service to obtain wx information. He asked for & was provided the wx at several locations. Also, he stated that he was really trying to find out what the wx was like in 'the foothills of the Alaska range down toward delta.' However, there were no report for that area. At aprx 1945 adt, the acft collided with rising terrain near the top of a mountain ridge. Reportedly, it struck the mountain at aprx 4050 ft MSL while in level flt. The top of the ridge was about 4090 ft MSL. No preimpact/mechanical was found. The propeller blades were found twisted & bent & the propeller had separated from the crankshaft during impact. The 2000 adt wx at Fairbanks, AK (54 mi southwest of the crash site) was 1000 ft overcast, visibility 30 mi, wind from 240 at 7 KTS, temp 51, dew point 47. The elevation of that reporting point was 434 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2145Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051245
- Airframe hours
- 1,435
- Engine
- Continental O-470R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephen F. Wuksinich
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1983 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- North Pole, AK
- Destination
- Portage Creek, AK
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,760 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,337 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAI, 54 nm away
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 N2145Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.