No fatalities

22 Aug 2020: Cessna 180 B — Alberts Air Alaska — Kotzebue, AK

Kotzebue, AK, United States

On 22 Aug 2020, a Cessna 180 B operated by Alberts Air Alaska was involved in an aviation accident near Kotzebue, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed conducive to flight during takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a downhill takeoff from a remote unimproved airstrip with a quartering headwind, the wind shifted as the airplane became airborne. The airplane settled, never attained flying speed, and impacted a creek bed, resulting in substantial damage.

Accident Overview

The pilot of an airplane reported that during a downhill takeoff from a remote unimproved airstrip, with a quartering headwind, the wind shifted as the airplane became airborne. According to the pilot, 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.

Post-Impact Conditions

After the impact with terrain, the pilot reported that there were "several wind gusts of 15-20 mph coming downhill."

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

Mechanical Status

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation