Cessna 180 N9024M

Summary

On 18 May 2002 at about 22:30 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N9024M was involved in an accident near Skwentna, 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

18 May 2002 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Skwentna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.8333, -150.6333

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N9024M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Chelatna Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC02LA041

Nobody was injured.

A total engine failure during cruise flight due to the disentegration of the number five cylinder piston. A contributing factor in the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was in cruise flight in a float-equipped airplane. He initiated a cruise climb, and heard a "snap" sound from the engine. The engine began to shake and vibrate, and was producing metal-to-metal sounds as it lost power. The pilot selected an emergency landing area on a small lake. The airplane touched down on the lake, but then collided with the shoreline and trees during the landing. The pilot said the lake was too small to successfully stop the airplane. The airplane received damage to the float assembly, and both wings. The pilot said he sold the airplane, "as is, where is," to a salvage company. Personnel from the salvage company reported that their examination of the engine revealed a failure of the number five cylinder piston.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.