# Accident 19970619018419A: Cessna A185F, Sitka, AK, June 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 1997, 14:40 local time
- Place: Sitka, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Simulated Forced Landing/Tkof
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: M5VA
- Location: 56.7293° N, 135.0006° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=56.7293&lon=-135.0006&mi=10
- Aircraft: N60859, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60859-2001-12-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Reported engine: CONT IO520D
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,911 total, 1,155 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA086) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970619018419A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT (FIRST PILOT) WAS RECEIVING TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR A CFR PART 135 CHECK RIDE IN A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. THE COMPANY'S CHIEF PILOT (SECOND PILOT), WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE SECOND PILOT BRIEFED THE FIRST PILOT ABOUT A TRAINING MANEUVER THAT WAS A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE WATER. AFTER TAKEOFF WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS SELECTED, THE SECOND PILOT PULLED THE ENGINE THROTTLE TO IDLE ABOUT 60 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE WATER. THE FIRST PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE AND DESCENDED FOR LANDING. THE FIRST PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE WATER IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, BUT WITH AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT. THE FRONT FLOAT STRUT ATTACH POINTS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, AND THE FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE PIVOTED DOWNWARD, COMING TO REST ON THE FRONT FLOAT SPREADER BAR. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED WRINKLING DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AFT OF THE FLOAT ATTACH POINTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC97LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA086), Jun 19, 1997: Cessna 185F (N60859), Sitka, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot(s) to properly flare the airplane during a simulated forced landing. The excessive rate of descent on final approach was a related factor.

## Other reports on N60859 (1)

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

- [Accident 19990919027859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990919027859A), Sep 19, 1999: Cessna 185F (N60859), Pilot Point, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 19, 1999, about 1030 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N60859, sustained substantial damage after colliding with…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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