- Date
- August 17, 1995, 12:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Nikiski, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9797GCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 6, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950817028539A
- Case key
- 2727
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Soft terrain and contamination in the left brake cylinder were related factors.
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 was landing in a remote area to go fishing. The landing area was covered with gravel, about 1,000 feet long, and oriented on a 090/270 degree heading. The pilot indicated that he landed to the west; as the airplane neared the end of the landing area, he applied the brakes and began a turn at taxi speed. The left main wheel appeared to hit a soft portion of sand, and the airplane nosed over. On 8/28/95, an airplane mechanic reported that the left wheel brake cylinder contained contamination that prevented the brake from releasing, once pressure was applied. After being cleaned, the brake cylinder functioned properly.
Factual narrative
On August 17, 1995, about 1245 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Cessna 180, N9797G, nosed over during the landing roll about 25 miles northwest of Nikiski, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Seward, Alaska at 1030.
In a telephone conversation, the pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he was landing in a remote area to go fishing. The landing area is gravel covered, about 1,000 feet long and oriented on a 090/270 degree orientation. The pilot indicated that he landed to the west and as the airplane neared the end of the landing area, he applied the brakes and began a turn at taxi speed. The left main wheel appeared to hit a soft portion of sand and the airplane nosed over. On 8/28/95, an airplane mechanic confirmed that the airplane received damage to the right wing spar, left wing rib and vertical stabilizer rib. He also reported that the left wheel brake cylinder contained contamination that prevented the brake from releasing, once pressure was applied. After cleaning, the brake cylinder functioned properly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9797G
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052297
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Burton L. Powers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SWD · Seward, 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
- 35
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,250 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.