- Date
- October 5, 2001, 17:50 local (Oct 6, 2001, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Bethel, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9344NCessna 185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20011005036449A
- Case key
- 55416
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated in the accident were a crosswind, and a worn tailwheel steering horn.
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 commercial pilot, with the two passengers, was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, paved runway. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that while on approach for landing on runway 18, he encountered wind estimated to be from 230 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot wrote: "Upon contact of the mains, I felt a very hard pull to the right. I then applied left rudder and brake, but this was ineffective in stopping it from coming around to the right." The airplane ultimately ground looped to the right, and the left wing and left elevator struck the edge of the runway. A postaccident disassembly and inspection of the accident airplane's tailwheel assembly revealed that tailwheel steering horn showed signs of wear.
Factual narrative
On October 5, 2001, about 1750 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N9344N, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country government flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was owned and operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The public use flight was being operated in support of a bird survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The certificated commercial pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was in effect.
In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that while on approach for landing on runway 18, he encountered wind estimated to be from 230 degrees at 8 knots, which required a right crosswind correction. The pilot wrote: "Upon contact of the mains, I felt a very hard pull to the right. I then applied left rudder and brake, but this was ineffective in stopping it from coming around to the right." The airplane ultimately ground looped to the right, and the left wing and left elevator struck the edge of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left elevator.
A postaccident disassembly and inspection of the accident airplane's tailwheel assembly revealed that tailwheel steering horn showed signs of wear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9344N
- Reported as
- Cessna 185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18504334
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Public use
- Operator
- Office of Aircraft Services
- Registered owner
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 17, 2001 · 137.9 hours before
- Departed
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Destination
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BET · Bethel, runway 18, 6,400 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- May 15, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,250 total · 350 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 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.