- Date
- September 2, 1989, 10:57 local (18:57 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2137ZCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19890902035499A
- Case key
- 5122
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
Oil leak in the oil cooler. Contributing factors were: oil film on the windshield, which obscured the pilot's vision (visual perception) and hampered his ability to attain proper runway alignment, an object (rock), and high vegetation beside the airstrip.
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
The plt was on a test flt after an annual inspn was completed. Drg flt, an oil film appeared on the windshield, so he turned back to land at the departure arpt (merrill field). Before reaching merrill field, the oil film became heavy & oil pressure began dropping. The plt elected to land at a pvt airstrip. Drg the apch, he slipped the acft for visibility. He said he made a normal touchdown, but drg the landing, the acft drifted to the left, hit a rock & some high vegetation, then nosed down. An exam of the acft revealed there was a small leak in the eng oil cooler.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2137Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051237
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Anderson, Kenneth
- Registered owner
- Kenneth Anderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1989 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- O'Malley, runway 16, 1,600 × 60 ft, dirt
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
- 51
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,512 total · 970 in this make and model · 2,394 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.