- Date
- August 13, 1998, 17:00 local (Aug 14, 1998, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arctic Village, AK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8181ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980813021279A
- Case key
- 43867
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident were variable, and gusty wind conditions.
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 commercial pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 2,000 feet long lake, in a float equipped airplane. He reported that about midway in the takeoff run, he reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. He said that as the airplane became airborne and passed over the departure end of the lake, a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to lose altitude. He said that as the airplane continued to lose altitude, the right wing and right float collided with brush covered tundra, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were about 240 degrees at 15 knots with peak gusts to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 13, 1998, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N8181A, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote lake located about 85 miles northeast of Arctic Village, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot, and the one passenger aboard received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the accident lake, about 1655.
In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot stated that he was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 2,000 feet long lake. He reported that about midway in the takeoff run, he reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. He said that as the airplane became airborne and passed over the departure end of the lake, a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to lose altitude. He said that as the airplane continued to lose altitude, the right wing and right float collided with brush covered tundra, and sustained substantial damage.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were about 240 degrees at 15 knots with peak gusts to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8181A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25033
- Airframe hours
- 4,601
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kurt Gustav Becker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 12, 1998 · 50 hours before
- Destination
- Fairbanks, 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
- 48
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 6,800 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.