# NTSB ANC96LA110: Cessna 180, N1746C, Mc Carthy, AK, July 30, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 30, 1996, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Mc Carthy, AK - Coordinates: 62.099826, -145.529022 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.0998&lon=-145.5290&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 18, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2866 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96LA110 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2866/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA110 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and his inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - clouds - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis The air taxi pilot related he was flying a company airplane on a personal flight in a mountain pass when the weather began to deteriorate. This was the pilot's third flight of the day in the same pass. He said he turned the airplane around in an attempt to exit the pass, but the clouds had lowered and he could no longer see the exit to the pass. He elected to make a precautionary landing on the tundra in lieu of attempting to continue the flight through the pass. The main landing gear separated from the airplane during the landing. ## Factual narrative On July 30, 1996, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N1746C, sustained substantial damage during an off airport precautionary landing. The precautionary landing occurred in the north end of the Chitistone Pass, located about 25 miles northeast of Mc Carthy, Alaska. The accident site elevation was approximately 5,600 feet. The solo commercial certificated pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in instrument meteorological conditions. A company flight plan was in effect at the time of the accident. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 1, the air taxi pilot related that the accident flight was his third flight of the day through the Chitistone Pass. He said on the accident flight, he was flying a company airplane for personal use. He said as he flew through the pass, the weather conditions were "marginal VFR", and continued to deteriorate as he flew northward. As he neared the north end of the pass, he realized he could not see the valley beyond the end of the pass. He said he turned the airplane around and tried to fly to the south, but the weather had closed in all around. He made "a quick decision" to perform a precautionary landing on the tundra. The airplane's main landing gear was torn from the fuselage during the landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1746C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1746C), registered now, S/N 30446, built 1953 (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: 30446 - Airframe hours: 5400 - Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael P. Mc Carthy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 15, 1996, 70 hours before - Destination: WHITE RIVER, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 13 knots - Temperature: 39 °F ## 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 19960730022769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960730022769A), Jul 30, 1996: Cessna 180, Mc Carthy, AK, Substantial damage. Flew into IMC in a pass tried to retreat but weather had closed in behind. Made precaution landing on rough tundra. 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.