Cessna 172 accident near Chugiak, AK
On April 20, 2016, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Chugiak, AK. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 20, 2016
- Place
- Chugiak, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 61.389°N, 149.562°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160421X93349
Official records · ANC16FA019
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 20, 2016, about 0900 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N63541, impacted birds in flight and then terrain about 2 miles southwest of Birchwood Airport (BCV), Chugiak, Alaska. The airline transport pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the pilot and was being operated by 70 North LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 visual flight rules aerial photography flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and company flight-following procedures were in effect. The purpose of the flight was to conduct aerial surveying and photography over an area of land adjacent to the west edge of the airport property. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic radar data revealed that the airplane departed BCV about 0840 in a southerly direction before turning west and then conducted two 360° turns. The airplane then proceeded northeast of BCV for about 4 miles before turning toward the southwest, overflying the intended photography area and continuing past Beach Lake. The airplane then turned east for about 2 miles before the radar track terminated. The last radar point indicated that the airplane was about 800 ft mean sea level (msl) and 102 knots and traveling on about a 126° ground track. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, single-engine sea, helicopter, and instrument ratings
Probable cause
The in-flight collision with one or more large birds (Bald Eagle), which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
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Browse: Alaska · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
