- Date
- November 18, 1989, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Heiden, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3654CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19891118045809A
- Case key
- 5323
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 inadequate preflight preparation and failure to identify suitable terrain for takeoff.
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 pilot stated during the takeoff roll the airplane struck a tree stump on the gravel bar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3654C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31152
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lind, Elia
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 421 in this make and model · 1,970 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 21 °F
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 N3654C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.