- Date
- November 25, 1990, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- 40 W Of Clear, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4030VCessna 170
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19901125053459A
- Case key
- 5474
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 non-instrument rated pilot-in-command's loss of control while attempting to operate under visual flight rule while in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the whiteout condition created by the vast expanse of white lake surface, and the blowing snow which further reduced the visibility.
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
According to witnesses, the airplane landed at wien lake at 1200 Alaska standard time (a.s.t) and the weather was very poor. Witnesses described visibility as 600 feet with falling blowing snow. The airplane departed wien lake at 1330 a.s.t., and the witnesses again described the weather as very poor. They were unable to see the entire takeoff run due to visibility. They heard the engine operating at what they described as full power until they heard a loud thump. All engine noise ceased at that time. There is no official weather observation station at the accident site. There were no mechanical irregularities found with the airplane. The pilot-in-command was not instrument rated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4030V
- Reported as
- Cessna 170
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18349
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Theodore F. Monroe
- Registered owner
- Theodore F Monroe
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Wien Lake, AK
- Destination
- ENN · Nenana, AK
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 235 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.