Cessna 180 N91402

Summary

On 12 August 2019 at about 02:30 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N91402 was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 2019 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Hood (LHD)

Coordinates

61.1789, -149.9583

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N91402

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Mat-Su Borough

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC19TA044

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain takeoff heading due to sun glare, which resulted in his inability to see an island adjacent to the water lane and subequent impact with the island.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was taking off from a seaplane base. Once the airplane was on step during the takeoff run to the west, the sun was in the pilot’s line of sight and he was unable to distinguish the lake’s southern water channel or see a small island in the water lane because the glare was too bright. Subsequently, the airplane struck the southeastern side of the island, nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the empennage, fuselage, and both wings. 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.