19970521011639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180F · Ketchikan, AK · May 21, 1997

Date: May 21, 1997 · 13:13 local
Place: Ketchikan, AK
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2175Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC97LA076
Reported as: Cessna 180F
Reported engine: Continental O470R
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 500 total

N2175ZRegistration cancelled May 31, 2007 · Cessna 180FS/N 18051275 · Built 1963 Airframe modelCessna 180F Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft encountered wind shear on landing an aircraft flipped and sank. (.4)the pilot was landing a float equipped airplane in a harbor. About 100 feet above the water, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft. The pilot applied full power, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane contacted the water, the right float partially submerged, and the right wing struck the water. The floats separated from the fuselage, and the airplane then sank. The wind conditions in the harbor were reported to be 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR ON LANDING AN AIRCRAFT FLIPPED AND SANK. (.4)THE PILOT WAS LANDING A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE IN A HARBOR. ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE WATER, THE RIGHT FLOAT PARTIALLY SUBMERGED, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE WATER. THE FLOATS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, AND THE AIRPLANE THEN SANK. THE WIND CONDITIONS IN THE HARBOR WERE REPORTED TO BE 12 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC97LA076Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKetchikan, AKthe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor relating to the accident was: the unfavorable wind condition with gusts and downdrafts.May 21, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2175Z · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19790619021579ITakeoff Ground Roll · Hatfield, MAPilot attempted to take off in float plane from grass strip using a dolly. Dolly hit long grass, plane slid off.Jun 19, 1979 · Minor damage