# NTSB ANC00LA099: Cessna 185F, N20752, Barrow, AK, August 12, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 2000, 20:25 local (Aug 12, 2000, 04:25 UTC) - Place: Barrow, AK - Coordinates: 71.28099, -156.780136 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=71.2810&lon=-156.7801&mi=10 - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 49984 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA099 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49984/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA099 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. A factor in the accident was a hidden obstruction, and soft terrain. ## Analysis At the conclusion of an on-demand air taxi flight, the airline transport certificated pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The landing area was a large area of tundra with eight to ten inch tall grass, next to a fishing camp. The day before the flight, the entire north coast of Alaska had received heavy rain. The pilot said he landed into the wind, toward the north. During the landing roll, as the pilot was applying the brakes, the airplane bounced over an unseen bump and became airborne about 12 inches. When the airplane touched down again, the main wheels encountered soft mud. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, wing lift struts, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 2000, about 2025 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N20752, sustained substantial damage during landing at Cape Simpson, a remote area about 41 miles east of Barrow, Alaska, about latitude 71 degrees, 04 minutes north, and longitude 154 degrees, 45 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Cape Smythe Air Service Inc., Barrow. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, Barrow, at 1955. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 14, 2000, the pilot reported that he originally intended to transport the passenger to Cape Simpson, and then continue to Deadhorse, Alaska. Due to high winds reported in Deadhorse, the pilot decided to only fly to Cape Simpson and return to Barrow. The landing area was a large area of tundra with eight to ten inch tall grass, next to a fishing camp. The day before the flight, the entire north coast of Alaska had received heavy rain. The pilot said he landed into the wind, toward the north. During the landing roll, as the pilot was applying the brakes, the airplane bounced over an unseen bump and became airborne about 12 inches. When the airplane touched down again, the main wheels encountered soft mud. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, wing lift struts, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20752](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N20752), registered now, S/N 18503041, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185F - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18503041 - Airframe hours: 4889 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Cape Smythe Air Service Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 7, 2000, 1 hours before - Departed: PABR - Destination: PASC, DEADHORSE, AK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,200 total, 320 in this make and model, 13,700 as pilot in command, 103 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000811005619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000811005619A), Aug 11, 2000: Cessna A185F, Barrow, AK, No damage. (-23) On soft field landing, with touchdown on main gear with full flaps, pilot applied brakes, aircraft bounced on suface and retouched with brakes on and… ## Other investigations on N20752 (7) 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 ANC97LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA131), Aug 25, 1997: Cessna 185F (N20752), Barrow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in a ground swerve and damage to the airplane. A factor… - [NTSB ANC96LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA114), Aug 2, 1996: Cessna 185 (N20752), Wainwright, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive application of the brakes during the landing roll. - [NTSB ANC95LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA003), Oct 15, 1994: Cessna A185F (N20752), Kotzebue, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE DISTANCE FROM THE TERRAIN (SNOW BANK). FLAT LIGHTING AND LOW CONTRAST CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. - [NTSB ANC93LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA147), Aug 14, 1993: Cessna 185 (N20752), Point Barrow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: FUEL EXHAUSTION AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT REFUELING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OPERATOR/MANAGEMENT INADEQUATE FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND OPERATIONAL CONTROL OVER THE FLIGHT. - [NTSB ANC93LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA016), Nov 28, 1992: Cessna 185 (N20752), Point Hope, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE NO. TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD DUE TO A SLIPPED (SPUN) MAIN CRANKSHAFT BEARING WHICH BLOCKED OFF THE OIL HOLE TO THE CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE… - [NTSB ANC92LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC92LA067), May 3, 1992: Cessna C-A185F (N20752), Barrow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLT CONTROLS BY THE SECOND PILOT DURING LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE MISHAP WERE THE ROUGH/UNEVEN SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. - [NTSB ANC89IA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89IA019), Nov 22, 1988: Cessna A185F (N20752), Deadhorse, AK, incident, no damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.