Cessna 180 N91361

Summary

On 16 June 2023 at about 19:35 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N91361, operated by James B. Tweto, was involved in an accident near Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 June 2023 at 19:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

64.5282, -160.0864

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N91361

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

James B. Tweto

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unalakleet → Unalakleet

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC23FA042

2 people died.

The pilot’s encounter with gusting tailwind conditions during takeoff, which resulted in impact with a tree, a loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger were departing downhill in a southwesterly direction from a remote, sloped airstrip located on a mountain ridgeline. According to a witness, the pilot had three trips planned to the airstrip that day, transporting hunters and gear to a nearby village. The witness stated that, upon the pilot’s return to the airstrip following the first flight of the day, he reported to the pilot that, since his previous departure, the winds had increased and were “gusting and changing a lot.” He watched the initial portion of the takeoff roll; nothing appeared abnormal, and he did not watch the remainder of the takeoff. He stated that, during previous departures, the airplane would typically dip out of sight below the departure end of the airstrip before continuing its climb out of the valley. When he did not see the airplane continue the climb, he went to the edge of the ridgeline and saw that the airplane had impacted tundra about 300 ft below the airstrip. A small cluster of trees was present about 2/3 of the way down the left side of the 750-ft-long airstrip. One tree was fractured and displayed fragments of red paint that matched the accident airplane’s paint color. The left horizontal stabilizer displayed a concave dent perpendicular to the leading edge about 1 ft outboard of the stabilizer root. Tree sap and embedded tree fibers were observed in the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer.   Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Review of weather information indicated the presence of north/northeasterly surface wind conditions in the area of the accident site. Another pilot, who responded to the accident site about 45 minutes after the accident, reported that the wind was “unusual” and variable, gusting 10-12 knots from the north before gusting 5 knots from the south and repeating. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot encountered gusting tailwind conditions during the takeoff, which resulted in the airplane veering left and impacting a tree, followed by a loss of control and impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.