Cessna 172P accident near Eagle River, AK
On July 26, 2021, a Cessna 172P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Eagle River, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 26, 2021
- Place
- Eagle River, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 61.198°N, 149.131°W
- NTSB ID
- 20210727103564
Official records · ANC21FA065
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 26, 2021, about 1320 Alaska daylight time (AKDT), a Cessna 172P airplane, N65698, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Eagle River, Alaska. The flight instructor and private pilot received fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight, operated by Angel Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, originated from Merrill Field Airport (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, about 1215. The flight, reserved as a “discovery flight,” was scheduled to last from 1200 until 1400. After departing MRI, the airplane proceeded northbound near Palmer, Alaska, before turning towards the Knik Glacier. When the airplane did not arrive back at MRI, a concerned family member referenced a tracking application which showed the airplane had stopped moving in the area of the Eagle River Valley, and notified authorities. About 1700, an alert notice (ALNOT) was issued and a search was initiated, and the wreckage was located about 2245 in an area of steep, rising glacial terrain at an elevation of about 3,100 ft mean sea level (msl). Although the ALNOT listed a destination of Girdwood, Alaska, the flight had been planned to return to MRI. The reason for the listing of Girdwood could not be determined. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe National Weather Service, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC) 1600 sounding depicted a lifted condensation level (LCL) and level of free convection at 3,294 ft above ground level (agl), with a convective condensation level at 4,623 ft agl, which su
Probable cause
An inflight collision with terrain under unknown circumstances. Contributing to the delayed rescue response was the failure of the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) to activate as designed, and the mechanic’s failure to ensure the correct ELT was installed and all applicable airworthiness directives complied with in accordance with federal regulations.
More accidents in AK
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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.
