- Date
- July 24, 1991, 10:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Takotna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5663BCessna 182
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910724029769A
- Case key
- 5486
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 loss of control in flight due to spatial disorientation while attempting to operate under visual flight rules while in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the mountainous terrain.
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 airplane crashed at the 1,500 foot level of a mountain located approximately 12 miles northwest of mcgrath, Alaska. Other pilots in the area stated the weather was 1,000 foot overcast, with 1.5 miles visibility in fog and smoke. They also stated that the mountain tops were obscured. The ridge which the airplane crossed was the last ridge between ophir, the departure point, and mcgrath, the destination.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5663B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33663
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John O'Carroll
- Registered owner
- John O'Carroll
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- Z17 · Ophir, AK
- Destination
- MCG · Mcgrath, 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 250 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.