- Date
- October 29, 2002, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Larson Bay, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5355DCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20021029033339A
- Case key
- 56021
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 failure to maintain adequate clearance while landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree.
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 commercial pilot was landing the airplane at an off-airport site that required an approach over trees. During the final approach phase of the landing, the left wing struck a previously unnoticed tree branch, and the airplane veered to the left of the intended touchdown point. The pilot attempted to correct to the right, but the airplane touched down to the left of the landing site and collided with trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On October 29, 2002, about 1600 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N5355D, sustained substantial damage when it struck trees while landing at a remote off airport site, located about 5 miles southeast of Larson Bay, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1450, from the Homer Airport, Homer, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on November 7, the pilot reported that the off airport site he was landing at required an approach over a stand of trees near the beginning of the site. He said that during the final approach phase of the landing, the left wing struck a previously unnoticed tree branch, and the airplane veered to the left of the intended touchdown point. He said that he attempted to correct to the right, but the airplane touched down to the left of the landing site and collided with trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120. 1).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5355D
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50253
- Engine
- Continental O-470-K, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John E. Sarvis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HOM · Homer, AK
- Destination
- 2A3 · Larson Bay, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 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.