Cessna 180 N4989A

Summary

On 2 July 2001 at about 14:45 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N4989A was involved in an accident near Willow, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2001 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Willow, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.7575, -150.0528

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N4989A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willow → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01LA079

Nobody was injured.

A fire of undetermined origin, following a precautionary landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated private pilot stated that about 15 minutes after departure, while in level, cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, so he elected to make a precautionary landing on a remote lake. After landing, while taxiing to shore, flames erupted from under the engine cowling, and quickly spread throughout the cabin of the airplane. The pilot was unable to bring the fire under control, and was eventually forced to abandon the airplane, and swim to shore. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the accident scene, and reported that the fire totally consumed the main fuselage, engine nacelle, and both inboard portions of the wings. He added that the engine eventually fell into the water, but was later recovered. The inspector reported that due to the substantial amount of fire damage, he was not able to discern the origin of the fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.