ANC03FA051

The airline transport pilot was conducting an on-demand charter flight in a wheel/ski-equipped airplane, with three passengers and climbing gear aboard. The flight was en route to a mountain climbing base camp located on a glacier, at the 7,200-foot msl level. A passing airplane discovered the accident airplane's wreckage at the 8,200-foot level of a remote mountain pass, along the anticipated flight route. The summit of the pass is situated about 9,000 feet msl, and oriented about east/west. The flight's anticipated direction of travel to the base camp was westbound. The airplane wreckage came to rest atop snow-covered glacial terrain, within a large "U" shaped, up-sloping valley, about 500 east of the pass summit. The nose of the airplane was oriented in the opposite direction of the flight's anticipated direction of travel. The airplane struck the snow-covered terrain in a near horizontal position, wings level, and about 5 degrees nose down. The NTSB investigator-in-charge documented all passenger, pilot, and cargo positions. After recovery, actual occupant and climbing gear/cargo weights were documented. The gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was estimated to be 20 pounds over the airplane's maximum gross weight limit of 3,350. Since there are no center of gravity (CG) limits for weights over maximum gross weight, the estimated CG of the airplane at the time of the accident, 154.1 inches, was compared to the limits at maximum gross weight, 140 to 156 inches, and found to be near the aft limit. No evidence of any preaccident mechanical anomalies was noted. The engine was placed on an engine test stand, started, and operated at various power settings, for an extended time. The engine produced its maximum rated rpm.

History of flight

On May 28, 2003, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel/ski-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N70176, was destroyed during a collision with snow-covered glacial terrain following a loss of control during cruise flight, about 40 miles north-northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand charter flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by McKinley Air Service, Talkeetna. The airline transport pilot, and the three passengers, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, about 1253, and was en route to a mountain climbing base camp located on the Kahiltna Glacier.

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 29, the operator's office manager reported that the accident flight was the pilot's third flight of the day. She said that the purpose of all three flights was to transport climbers to a base camp located at 7,200 feet msl on the southeast fork of the Kahiltna glacier, about 48 miles northwest of Talkeetna. She added that on board the accident flight were two mountain climbers and one sightseeing passenger, who would have returned to Talkeetna on the return leg of the flight.

According to other operators that were flying in the area, the accident airplane pilot transmitted a position report about 1325, stating that her airplane was over the toe of the Tokositna Glacier, at 8,000 feet. No further radio transmissions were received from the accident airplane.

About 1430, a passing airplane discovered the accident airplane's wreckage at the 8,200-foot level of South Hunter Pass. There was no emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal received from the accident airplane. A National Park Service (NPS) high altitude rescue helicopter was dispatched to the accident site, and discovered that the pilot and three passengers were deceased.

Crew information

The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane multiengine land rating. She also held commercial pilot privileges with single-engine land and sea ratings. She held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine, multiengine land, and instrument ratings. The most recent second-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on June 24, 2002, and contained no limitations.

No personal flight records (logbooks) were located for the pilot. On the pilot's medical certificate application, dated June 24, 2002, the pilot indicated that her total aeronautical experience consisted of 8,000 hours, of which 200 were accrued in the previous 6 months.

The pilot's normal scheduled duty day was from 0800 to 2200. The pilot was off duty on May 26 and 27, the two days prior to the accident. According to the operator's office manager, May 26 and 27 were considered "weather days." On the accident date of May 28, she flew a total of 5.5 hours.

The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135.293 and Part 135.299 airman competency/proficiency check was conducted on April 30, 2003. An FAA operations inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office conducted the check in the accident airplane.

The pilot received an interagency pilot evaluation/qualification recurrent check from a Department of the Interior, Office of Aircraft Services inspector, on May 15, 2003, in the accident airplane.

Aircraft information

The airplane had accumulated a total time in service of 7,859.3 hours. The airplane was maintained on an Approved Airworthiness Inspection Program (AAIP). The most recent inspection (Event 1) was accomplished on February 10, 2003, 48.3 hours before the accident.

The airplane was equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) IO-520D-116B engine, and a two-bladed McCauley Propeller, model number D2A34C58-0. The engine had accrued a total time in service of 3,133.3 hours. The maintenance records note that a major engine overhaul was accomplished on January 27, 2000, 1,410.3 hours before the accident. The propeller had accrued a total time in service of 2,096.3 hours. The maintenance records note that a major propeller overhaul was accomplished on January 15, 2002, 552.3 hours before the accident.

At the time of the accident, the airplane was outfitted with Fluidyne C-3600 wheel/skis, and a tailwheel mounted ski. According to the accident airplane's maintenance records, the Fluidyne C-3600 wheel/skis were reinstalled on the airplane on August 9, 2002. On August 15, 2002, the accident airplane's maintenance records note the removal of the Fluidyne C-3600 wheel/ski assembly, and the installation of oversized tundra tires with an oversized tailwheel. According to the accident airplane's maintenance records (logbooks), no additional landing gear configuration changes were recorded prior to the accident.

The accident airplane received an interagency evaluation/qualification data card from a Department of the Interior, Office of Aircraft Services airworthiness inspector, on May 19, 2003.

Meteorological information

The closest official weather observation station is located at the Talkeetna Airport, which is located about 40 miles southeast of the accident site. On May 28, at 1353, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind, 330 degrees at 7 knots, variable 290 degrees at 10 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; ceiling and clouds, clear; temperature, 68 degrees F; dew point, 34 degrees F; altimeter, 29.79 in Hg.

A pilot, who departed from Talkeetna about 4 minutes after the accident airplane's departure, characterized weather conditions as "clear and calm" while en route to the Kahiltna Glacier base camp. He added that he elected to take an alternate route through One-Shot Pass, located about 3 miles south of South Hunter Pass.

During interviews with a number of pilots, who were flying in the area on the day of the accident, most reported similar flight conditions. One pilot reported to the NTSB IIC that while flying through One-Shot Pass at 8,500 feet, about 1410, he encountered moderate turbulence. He said that once he climbed the airplane to 10,000 feet msl, the turbulence subsided.

Wreckage and impact information

The NTSB IIC, along with members of the NPS high altitude rescue team, and a member of the Talkeetna Fire Department, examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site on May 28. Diminishing daylight limited time at the scene.

The NTSB IIC, NPS personnel, and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office, returned to the accident site on May 29, and completed the on-scene portion of the wreckage examination.

The terrain surrounding the accident site consisted of steep and near vertical mountainous terrain, with peaks ranging between 11,000 and 14,000 feet above msl. The airplane wreckage came to rest at the 8,200-foot level, atop snow-covered glacial terrain, within a large "U" shaped valley. The snow conditions at the accident site consisted of about 12 inches of fresh snow, covering an undetermined amount of densely packed snow and glacial ice.

The area around the wreckage site was surrounded by large glacial crevasses, ranging in depth from 25 to 50 feet. The west end of the valley, where the wreckage was found, has rising terrain of about 15 degrees, which leads to the summit of South Hunter Pass. The airplane was situated about 500 yards east of the pass summit. The summit of Hunter Pass is situated about 9,000 feet msl, and oriented about east/west.

All of the airplane's major components were located at the main wreckage area. The airplane c