19980312006879A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Mcgrath, AK · March 12, 1998

Date: March 12, 1998 · 14:30 local
Place: Mcgrath, AK
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N21546
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC98LA029
Reported as: Cessna A185F
Reported engine: Continental IO520D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,000 total2,370 in this make and model125 in the last 90 days

N21546Registered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18503062 · Built 1976 Airframe modelCessna A185F Engine modelContinental IO-520 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.

Struck tree landing on frozen river. During landing roll. Added power. Swered to avoid obstacle. Struck the tree. (.4)the commercial pilot landed his wheel/ski equipped airplane on a frozen river. The pilot stated that after landing, he added power in an attempt to lift the tail, and turn the airplane in the opposite direction. The airplane's skis became stuck in grooves on the snow, and directional control was lost. The airplane's left wing struck a tree on the river bank and substantial damage was sustained to the leading edge. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported by the pilot to be calm. (-23) on March 12, 1998, Cessna ski plane, N21546, operated by Mr. Gary chamberlain, landed on the innoko river approximately 40 miles nw of Mcgrath, Alaska. After landing and during taxi in heavily rutted snow, the aircraft contacted a tree with the left wing and struck the river bank while attempting to turn around, damaging the propeller.

As the FAA filed it

STRUCK TREE LANDING ON FROZEN RIVER. DURING LANDING ROLL. ADDED POWER. SWERED TO AVOID OBSTACLE. STRUCK THE TREE. (.4)THE COMMERCIAL PILOT LANDED HIS WHEEL/SKI EQUIPPED AIRPLANE ON A FROZEN RIVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER LANDING, HE ADDED POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO LIFT THE TAIL, AND TURN THE AIRPLANE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE'S SKIS BECAME STUCK IN GROOVES ON THE SNOW, AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE ON THE RIVER BANK AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE LEADING EDGE. WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT TO BE CALM. (-23) ON MARCH 12, 1998, CESSNA SKI PLANE, N21546, OPERATED BY MR. GARY CHAMBERLAIN, LANDED ON THE INNOKO RIVER APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES NW OF MCGRATH, ALASKA. AFTER LANDING AND DURING TAXI IN HEAVILY RUTTED SNOW, THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING AND STRUCK THE RIVER BANK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND, DAMAGING THE PROPELLER.

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 ANC98LA029Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMcgrath, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing. Factors associated with the accident are the presence of snow covered terrain, a tree, and the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area.Mar 12, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N21546 · 1

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

Incident 19920307010909IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Bellingham, WAPilot ground looped aircraft on landing rollout.Mar 7, 1992 · Minor damage