What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Transporting persons an cargo to base camp on a glacier. Engine quit on final. Hard landing short of landing area. (.4)the certificated commercial pilot was landing at 6900 feet MSL on the matanuska glacier. The pilot reported that while on short final for landing, all engine power was lost. Attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and the airplane landed hard, about 500 feet short of the intended touch down point. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported in his written statement that after landing and while securing the cockpit controls, he discovered that the fuel boost switch was placed in the 'high boost' positions. The Cessna pilot's operating handbook, states, in part: 'if the engine-driven fuel pump switch is placed in the on position, a fuel/air ratio considerably richer than best power is produced unless the mixture is leaned.' (-23) on June 9, 1998, at 1200 adt, a wheel ski equipped Cessna 185, aircraft N9855X, sustained damage landing on the matunuska glacier at 6900' MSL, the pilot stated while on short final, engine power was lost and the aircraft landed hard, damaging the propeller and fuselage at the gear attach area . The pilot noted the fuel boost pump switch was in the high position when he was shutting the switches off before evacuating the aircraft. The pilot speculated this may have flooded the engine, although he does not remember turning on the boost pump. After the aircraft was recovered to the talkeetna airport, an examination of the controls, and fluid lines was made. There were no discrepancies noted. The pilot received a scheduled check ride on 06/15/98. The pilot was counseled, and emphasis was placed on emergency procedures and landings during the check ride.
As the FAA filed it
TRANSPORTING PERSONS AN CARGO TO BASE CAMP ON A GLACIER. ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL. HARD LANDING SHORT OF LANDING AREA. (.4)THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS LANDING AT 6900 FEET MSL ON THE MATANUSKA GLACIER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL FOR LANDING, ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, ABOUT 500 FEET SHORT OF THE INTENDED TOUCH DOWN POINT. THE AIRPLANE'S FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT AFTER LANDING AND WHILE SECURING THE COCKPIT CONTROLS, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL BOOST SWITCH WAS PLACED IN THE 'HIGH BOOST' POSITIONS. THE CESSNA PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, STATES, IN PART: 'IF THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP SWITCH IS PLACED IN THE ON POSITION, A FUEL/AIR RATIO CONSIDERABLY RICHER THAN BEST POWER IS PRODUCED UNLESS THE MIXTURE IS LEANED.' (-23) ON JUNE 9, 1998, AT 1200 ADT, A WHEEL SKI EQUIPPED CESSNA 185, AIRCRAFT N9855X, SUSTAINED DAMAGE LANDING ON THE MATUNUSKA GLACIER AT 6900' MSL, THE PILOT STATED WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, ENGINE POWER WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, DAMAGING THE PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE AT THE GEAR ATTACH AREA . THE PILOT NOTED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH WAS IN THE HIGH POSITION WHEN HE WAS SHUTTING THE SWITCHES OFF BEFORE EVACUATING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SPECULATED THIS MAY HAVE FLOODED THE ENGINE, ALTHOUGH HE DOES NOT REMEMBER TURNING ON THE BOOST PUMP. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED TO THE TALKEETNA AIRPORT, AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONTROLS, AND FLUID LINES WAS MADE. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT RECEIVED A SCHEDULED CHECK RIDE ON 06/15/98. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED, AND EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND LANDINGS DURING THE CHECK RIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9855X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.