20100310029659A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185E · Tokatna, AK · March 10, 2010

Date: March 10, 2010 · 15:35 local
Place: Tokatna, AK
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N70039
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC10LA024
Reported as: Cessna A185E
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 27,000 total1,500 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N70039Registration cancelled May 31, 2017 · Cessna A185ES/N 18501910 Airframe modelCessna A185E 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.

The pilot was interviewed on 03/11/2010 at the mcgrath airport. The pilot stated he had departed his home at campbell lake, anchorage Alaska on 03/09/2010 with full fuel and flew 1.5 hours to nikolai, AK (pafs) and spent the night. On 03/10/2010, he performed a normal preflight, departed pafs and flew to Tokatna, Alaska. He stated he was on the ground at Tokatna 3 hours. After a normal preflight, with 2 hours of fuel, he departed Tokatna for a flight to mcgrath following the iditarod trail. After 15 minutes flying time 4.9 miles east of ophir, Alaska, while at low cruise power at 600 feet, the pilot stated the engine just quit. He maneuvered toward a clearing while performing the emergency checklist but was unable to restore power. While descending for the forced landing, the left wing collided with some trees, causing the aircraft to impact the gound hard in a normal attitude. The impact caused substantial damage to the left wing, propeller, fuselage, and collapsed the landing gear.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED ON 03/11/2010 AT THE MCGRATH AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD DEPARTED HIS HOME AT CAMPBELL LAKE, ANCHORAGE ALASKA ON 03/09/2010 WITH FULL FUEL AND FLEW 1.5 HOURS TO NIKOLAI, AK (PAFS) AND SPENT THE NIGHT. ON 03/10/2010, HE PERFORMED A NORMAL PREFLIGHT, DEPARTED PAFS AND FLEW TO TOKATNA, ALASKA. HE STATED HE WAS ON THE GROUND AT TOKATNA 3 HOURS. AFTER A NORMAL PREFLIGHT, WITH 2 HOURS OF FUEL, HE DEPARTED TOKATNA FOR A FLIGHT TO MCGRATH FOLLOWING THE IDITAROD TRAIL. AFTER 15 MINUTES FLYING TIME 4.9 MILES EAST OF OPHIR, ALASKA, WHILE AT LOW CRUISE POWER AT 600 FEET, THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE JUST QUIT. HE MANEUVERED TOWARD A CLEARING WHILE PERFORMING THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. WHILE DESCENDING FOR THE FORCED LANDING, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH SOME TREES, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GOUND HARD IN A NORMAL ATTITUDE. THE IMPACT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, PROPELLER, FUSELAGE, AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR.

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 ANC10LA024Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOphir, AKThe total loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.Mar 10, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N70039 · 5

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

Accident 19960503009389ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Kodiak, AKGround looped and nosed over landing in crosswind on a beach.May 3, 1996 · Substantial damage Incident 19811115079169IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Anchorage, AKPilot taxied into empty aircraft left on taxiway in darkness.Nov 15, 1981 · Minor damage Accident 19810514025209AForced/Precautionary Landing · Anchorage, AKEngine lost power on takeoff. Landed in swampy tundra end of runway. Nosed over. Found rag in engine air intake.May 14, 1981 · Substantial damage Incident 19800823066181IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Anchorage, AKTaxiing float planes prop struck wing tip of another taxiing float plane. Struck N9577G.Aug 23, 1980 · Minor damage Accident 19750918037929AGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Twin Lakes, AKWinds gusting to 30K.Sep 18, 1975 · Substantial damage