# NTSB ANC02LA065: Cessna 185, N1078F, Skwentna, AK, June 30, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 30, 2002, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Skwentna, AK - Coordinates: 61.666667, -151.383331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6667&lon=-151.3833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55102 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55102/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55102 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA065 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point resulting in an undershoot, and an in-flight collision with a log during the landing flare. A contributing factor in the accident was a hidden obstruction. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - flare/touchdown - distance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - hidden obstruction(s) (contributing factor) - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,main gear - sheared ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was landing the tundra tire-equipped airplane at an airstrip next to a remote lodge. The dirt surface airstrip is oriented north/south, and is about 1,200 feet long by 20 feet wide. The pilot said he was landing toward the north, and touched down about two feet short of the airstrip threshold. The right main landing gear struck a log stump that was concealed by bushes, just short of the threshold. The right main gear was torn off the airplane, and the right wing struck the ground. ## Factual narrative On June 30, 2002, about 0930 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N1078F, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear struck a log during landing at a remote airstrip, about 19 miles south of Skwentna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, and the two passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, Alaska, at 0900. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 30, the pilot reported that he was landing at an airstrip next to the Talaheim Lodge, located along the Talachulitna River. The dirt surface airstrip is oriented north/south, and is about 1,200 feet long by 20 feet wide. The pilot said he was landing toward the north, and touched down about two feet short of the airstrip threshold. The right main landing gear struck a log stump that was concealed by bushes, just short of the threshold. The right main gear was torn off the airplane, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane received damage to the right gear, fuselage, right wingtip, and the right elevator. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1078F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1078F), registered now, S/N 18502734, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185 - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18502734 - Airframe hours: 1846 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Richard C. Lathrop - Registered owner: Richard Lathrop Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 26, 2002, 20 hours before - Departed: Z41, ANCHORAGE, AK - Destination: SKWENTNA, AK - Airport: Talaheim Lodge, runway 36, 1,200 × 20 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 8, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 3,321 total, 856 in this make and model, 3,230 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °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 20020630016699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020630016699A), Jun 30, 2002: Cessna A185F, Skwentna, AK, No damage. (-23) On June 30, 2002, about 1000 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N1078F, sustained substantial damage during landing at a… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55102. 728 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 728 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447814&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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.