# Accident 20190521004949A: Cessna A185F, Whittier, AK, May 21, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2019, 14:04 local time
- Place: Whittier, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.9106° N, 147.7708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.9106&lon=-147.7708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5457X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5457X-2023-02-04) (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
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total, 820 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR19FA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA152) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190521004949A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 21ST 2019 AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE W-ROC AND ASI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ASSIGNED TO THE INVESTIGATION. REQUESTED AND RECEIVED THE FAA FORM 8020-9 AND STARTED THE INVESTIGATION. RECEIVED THE WRITTEN REPORT FROM THE USCG VALDEZ STATION THAT STATED AN AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN VIEW OF CASCADE FALLS IN CASCADE BAY. 3 SOULS ON BOARD, 2 RESCUED FROM WATER AND 1 BODY RECOVERED FROM PLANE ONCE IT WAS TOWED TO SHALLOWER WATER. THE SURVIVORS WERE AIRLIFTED TO PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL IN ANCHORAGE.

ON MAY 22ND 2019 CONTACTED USCG ACCIDENT COORDINATOR IN ANCHORAGE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO FORWARD ME PICTURES OF THE AIRCRAFT INVERTED IN THE WATER. NOTED THE WHEELS MOUNTED IN THE AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS WERE EXTENDED. REVIEWED AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION DATA TO CONTACT THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT.

ON MAY 23RD 2019 ASI AWM CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT WHO ADMITTED THE FOLLOWING FACTS: ?THERE WAS NON-STOP CONVERSATION WITHIN THE GROUP AND THAT HE GOT DISTRACTED FROM HIS NORMAL CHECKLIST ROUTINE? AND ?THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL DOWN OR NOT IN THE CORRECT POSITION FOR A WATER LANDING?.

## 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 WPR19FA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA152), May 21, 2019: Cessna A185 (N5457X), Whittier, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to configure the landing gear for a water landing, which resulted in a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction due to his talking passengers.

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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