- Date
- October 4, 1998, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Russian Mission, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6867XCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19981004034629A
- Case key
- 44125
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 are rising terrain, and a downdraft.
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 certificated commercial pilot reported that the accident airstrip is situated within a valley with rising terrain on three sides, and the wind was blowing from the northwest about 15 to 20 knots. The pilot stated that he elected to depart to the west, and toward rising terrain. He stated that just after takeoff, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft, and failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. The airplane collided with a stand of trees, and sustained substantial damage to the wings, and fuselage.
Factual narrative
On October 4, 1998, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N6867X, sustained substantial damage during an attempted takeoff from a remote airstrip at Kako, Alaska, located about 10 miles north of Russian Mission, 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 three passengers aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on October 4, the pilot reported that the accident airstrip is situated within a valley with rising terrain on three sides, and that the wind was blowing from the northwest about 25 knots. The pilot stated that he elected to depart to the west, and toward rising terrain. He stated that just after takeoff, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft, and failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. The airplane collided with a stand of trees, and sustained substantial damage to the wings, and fuselage.
The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6867X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17247767
- Airframe hours
- 4,920
- Engine
- Continental O-360-D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David C. Penz
- Registered owner
- Grant W. Funk
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 13, 1998 · 123 hours before
- Airport
- Kako, runway 27, 2,600 × 70 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
- 64
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,280 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 25 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
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 N6867X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.