Cessna 180 N9128T

Summary

On 22 August 2020 at about 03:00 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N9128T was involved in an accident near Kotzebue, 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

22 August 2020 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

68.3306, -158.2411

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N9128T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1959

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kotzebue → Kotzebue

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC20CA088

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed conducive to flight during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the downhill takeoff from a remote unimproved airstrip, with a quartering headwind, the wind shifted as the airplane became airborne. The airplane settled "with about 100 yds left on the runway" and he continued "trying to milk the flaps" to become airborne while continuing downhill. The airplane never attained flying speed again and settled into a creek bed. After the impact with terrain, the pilot reported there were "several wind gusts of 15-20 mph coming downhill". The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.