- Date
- August 19, 1998, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cordova, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N180WHCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980819021299A
- Case key
- 43870
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were soft airstrip conditions, and trees.
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 airline transport pilot was attempting a southerly departure from a 1,300 feet long gravel airstrip in a tailwheel equipped airplane. He stated that during the takeoff roll, midway down the airstrip, the airplane's left wheel dug into an area of soft ground. The airplane veered to the left, and the left wing struck a stand of trees that borders the airstrip. The airplane pivoted about 90 degrees to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane's right wing struck the ground, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On August 19, 1998, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N180WH, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote airstrip located about 65 miles southwest of Cordova, 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 solo airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Cordova Airport, Cordova, about 1100.
In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that he was attempting a southerly departure from a 1,300 feet long gravel airstrip. He stated that during the takeoff roll, midway down the airstrip, the airplane's left wheel dug into an area of soft ground. The airplane veered to the left, and the left wing struck a stand of trees that borders the airstrip. The airplane pivoted about 90 degrees to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane's right wing struck the ground, and sustained substantial damage.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N180WH
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18050972
- Airframe hours
- 5,003
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Elwood & Karen Schapansky
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1998 · 34 hours before
- Destination
- CDV · AK
- Airport
- Beach River Airstrip, runway 18, 1,300 × 100 ft, gravel
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,746 total · 900 in this make and model · 8,609 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N180WH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.