- Date
- June 21, 1999, 09:48 local (17:48 UTC)
- Place
- Kotzebue, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2958KCessna 180K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19990621021919A
- Case key
- 46614
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.
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 Swiss foreign national pilot, who holds a Swiss airline transport certificate, was attempting a southeasterly departure from a 1,700 feet long off-airport site. He stated that during the early stages of the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left. He said that he applied full right rudder in an attempt to correct, but the airplane continued off the left side of the site, pivoted 90 degrees to the left, and nosed over. He stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and lift struts. The pilot reported that the airplane had recently been retrofitted with oversized tundra tires. He added that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be from the southeast, at 10 knots.
Factual narrative
On June 21, 1999, about 0948 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N2958K, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off-airport site located about 51 miles northeast of Kotzebue, 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 Swiss foreign national pilot, who holds a Swiss airline transport certificate, and the one passenger aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on June 21, the pilot reported that he was attempting a southeasterly departure from a 1,700 feet long off-airport site. He stated that during the early stages of the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left. He said that he applied full right rudder in an attempt to correct, but the airplane continued off the left side of the site, pivoted 90 degrees to the left, and nosed over. He stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and lift struts.
The pilot reported that the airplane had recently been retrofitted with oversized tundra tires. He added that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be from the southeast, at 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2958K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18053139
- Airframe hours
- 1,500
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U-18B, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Swiss Alaska Flyers LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 1999 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- BTT · Bettles, 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,900 total · 195 in this make and model · 5,500 as pilot in command · 155 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °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.