- Date
- June 22, 1995, 18:30 local (Jun 23, 1995, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Minto, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5177ECessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 2668
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's failure to use all of the available area (waterway) for the takeoff.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff with his float equipped airplane from a slough. He said he did not use the full length of the area available for takeoff. Also, he said that upon reaching the end of the slough, the airplane's altitude was insufficient to clear the trees which lined the bank. The airplane collided with the trees and sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On June 22, 1995, about 1830 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N5177E, received substantial damage when it collided with trees during an attempted takeoff from a slough located approximately 5 miles southeast of Minto, Alaska. The owner/private pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The personal flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The intended destination was the seaplane base at Fairbanks, Alaska.
The pilot reported he did not use the full length of the slough (a portion of the Tolavana River)that was available for takeoff. During the takeoff run, he said the airplane reached the end of the slough prior to gaining sufficient altitude to clear the trees on the shore. The airplane collided with the trees and sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical difficulties with the airplane.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5177E
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50477
- Airframe hours
- 2,539
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert Moloney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 22, 1995 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks
- Destination
- FAI · AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 100 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Other investigations on N5177E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.