- Date
- July 26, 2001, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Yakutat, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N85CGCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 3, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010726039329A
- Case key
- 53207
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area. A factor associated with the accident were trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated commerical pilot was departing from a remote airstrip. During the takeoff run, just before lift-off, the right wing struck a stand of trees. The airplane pivoted to the right and continued off the right side of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage.
Factual narrative
On July 26, 2001, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N85CG, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote airstrip located about 45 miles east of Yakutat, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Gulf Air Taxi, Inc., Yakutat. The solo certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the accident airstrip about 1525.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 6, the pilot reported that the he was returning to Yakutat after dropping off his passengers at the remote airstrip. The pilot said that while departing to the south, just before lift-off, the right wing struck a stand of trees. The airplane pivoted to the right and continued off the right side of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85CG
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18501927
- Airframe hours
- 6,374.6
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gulf Air Taxi, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 27, 2001 · 46.1 hours before
- Departed
- Yakutat, AK
- Destination
- YAK · Yakutat, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- runway 18, 800 × 42 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 55 in this make and model · 2,295 as pilot in command · 280 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N85CG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.