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19980609021349A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Skwentna, AK · June 9, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 9, 1998 · 20:30 local
Place
Skwentna, AK
Phase of flight
Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2902Q
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC98LA070
Reported as
Cessna A185F
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540S1A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
788 total231 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N2902QRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18503539Airframe modelCessna A185FEngine 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.

Step taxiing float equipped 185 on a lake. Wind gust lifted a wing. Other wing hit the water. (.4)the certificated private pilot was step taxiing to the west in prepatation for a departure to the south. The pilot noted that after the airplane passed beyond an area of shoreline that was protecting the airplane from a left crosswind, a sudden gust of wind lifted the left wing. The right wing struck the water, pivoted the airplane to the right, and the left wing struck the water. The right and left wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that wind conditions at the time of the accident were from varying directions with peak gusts to 10 knots. (-23) on the evening of June 9, 1998, Mr. Grant webley was step-taxiing his float-equipped Cessna 185 to the end of a slough in preparation for takeoff. As he emerged from behind a bank of trees, the wind raised the left wing of the stol-equipped aircraft, causing the right wing to contact the water. The aircraft sustained substantial damage from the resulting water loop.

As the FAA filed it

STEP TAXIING FLOAT EQUIPPED 185 ON A LAKE. WIND GUST LIFTED A WING. OTHER WING HIT THE WATER. (.4)THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS STEP TAXIING TO THE WEST IN PREPATATION FOR A DEPARTURE TO THE SOUTH. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED BEYOND AN AREA OF SHORELINE THAT WAS PROTECTING THE AIRPLANE FROM A LEFT CROSSWIND, A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE WATER, PIVOTED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE WATER. THE RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM VARYING DIRECTIONS WITH PEAK GUSTS TO 10 KNOTS. (-23) ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 9, 1998, MR. GRANT WEBLEY WAS STEP-TAXIING HIS FLOAT-EQUIPPED CESSNA 185 TO THE END OF A SLOUGH IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF. AS HE EMERGED FROM BEHIND A BANK OF TREES, THE WIND RAISED THE LEFT WING OF THE STOL-EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO CONTACT THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE RESULTING WATER LOOP.

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 ANC98LA070Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkwentna, AKThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident are wind gusts, and a crosswind condition.Jun 10, 1998 · Substantial damage