Cessna 180B N5143E

Summary

On 2 September 1994 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 180B registered N5143E was involved in an accident near Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 1994 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

66.5598, -145.2509

Aircraft

Cessna 180B

Registration

N5143E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC94LA131

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLAPS AND FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND A DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING A REMOTE LAKE IN A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE AS THE RETURN PORTION OF A CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT AT THE CONCLUSION OF A HUNTING TRIP. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REPORTED USING 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS THAT HE LOWERED TO 20 DEGREES WHEN THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT BREAK FREE FROM THE WATER SURFACE. THE WATER CONDITIONS WERE SMOOTH AND GLASSY. WHEN THE AIRPLANE DID NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY, THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE'S FORWARD MOMENTUM CARRIED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE LAKE SHORELINE. THE FRONT PORTION OF THE FLOATS CONTACTED THE TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDS USING 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS THROUGHOUT THE TAKEOFF. ADDITIONALLY, UNDER HEAVY LOADS AND GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS, AN ABRUPT APPLICATION OF BACK CONTROL PRESSURE MAY BE NECESSARY TO BREAK FREE OF THE WATER SURFACE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.