# NTSB ANC93LA132: Cessna 180, N3680C, Sparrevohn, AK, August 1, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 31, 1993, 18:05 local (Aug 1, 1993, 02:05 UTC) - Place: Sparrevohn, AK - Coordinates: 55.920066, -159.490798 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.9201&lon=-159.4908&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2392 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC93LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2392/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA132 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE ANIMAL ON THE RUNWAY. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - object - animal(s) (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis JUST AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN A CARIBOU APPEARED ON THE RUNWAY, IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT BALLOONED THE AIRPLANE OVER THE CARIBOU THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY. HE THEN LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE, CAUSING THE LEFT WING AND TAIL TO HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD ABORTED HIS FIRST APPROACH BECAUSE OF A CARIBOU ON THE RUNWAY. ## Factual narrative On July 31, 1993, at 1805 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N3680C, lost control and dragged a wing while landing at Sparrevohn Long Range Radar Station (LRRS), Alaska. The commercial pilot and one passenger, his 19 year old son, were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Six Mile Lake, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, at 1607. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. Following the accident, during a telephone interview, the pilot stated the following in part: "I aborted my first approach and made a go around because a bull caribou suddenly showed up in my intended touchdown area. A resident at Sparrevohn came out with a vehicle and chased the caribou away. All appeared well for the second approach until just before I was to touch down, a caribou darted in front of me from the right side. The airplane ballooned over the caribou then touched down on the runway. I then lost directional control and the airplane ground looped, causing the left wing, elevator and horizontal stabilizer to hit the ground. I had seen several caribou near the runway during the approach, but did not see this one until I almost hit it. I was landing up hill with an 8 knot tailwind. The gravel runway was dry and smooth at the time." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3680C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3680C), registered now, S/N 31179, built 1954 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180 - Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31179 - Airframe hours: 4114 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-A 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kieling, Harry J. Jr. - Registered owner: Kieling, Harry J. Jr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 3, 1993, 8 hours before - Departed: EDF, ELMENDORF AFB, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SVW, Sparrevohn Lrrs, runway 34, 4,100 × 150 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; commercial, flight instructor, military; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,748 total, 76 in this make and model, 3,476 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 12 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,800 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SVW, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930731027709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930731027709A), Jul 31, 1993: Cessna 180, Sparrevohn, AK, Substantial damage. On landing, caribou ran in path. Ballooned over animal. Came down. Lost directional control. Ground looped. ## Other investigations on N3680C (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC93LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA032), Feb 6, 1993: Cessna 180 (N3680C), Elmendorf Afb, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOW COVERED SURFACE. - [NTSB ANC90LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC90LA156), Aug 27, 1990: Cessna 180-A (N3680C), Lime Village, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE PERFORMANCE DATA DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN NOT BEING IDENTIFIED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.