# NTSB ANC04LA055: Cessna 185E, N1932U, King Salmon, AK, May 20, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 2004, 21:00 local (May 20, 2004, 01:00 UTC) - Place: King Salmon, AK - Coordinates: 57.486667, -156.735 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.4867&lon=-156.7350&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59259/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA055 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff and initial climb, which resulted in a loss of control, and an in-flight collision with water. A factor contributing to the accident was gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot was taking off from a beach protected on the windward side by an earth berm. As the airplane became airborne, and the left wing rose above the berm, it was caught by a gust of wind and lifted abruptly. As the wing lifted, the airplane was pushed over the lake and descended. The main landing gear entered the water, and the airplane nosed over in the lake. The airplane sustained damage to the wings and tail. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 2004, about 2100 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N1932U, sustained substantial damage during takeoff-initial climb from a beach near Ugashik Lake, Alaska, when the main landing gear contacted the lake, and the airplane nosed over into the lake. The accident site is about 70 miles southwest of King Salmon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 at the time of the accident. The solo airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was bound for Anchorage, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on May 20, the pilot said he was taking off from a beach protected on the windward side by an earth berm. He said as the airplane became airborne, and the left wing rose above the berm, it was caught by a gust of wind and lifted abruptly. He said as the wing lifted, the airplane was pushed over the lake and then descended. The pilot said the main landing gear entered the water, and the airplane nosed over. He said the airplane came to rest inverted in about 3 feet of water, and sustained damage to the wings and tail. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1932U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1932U), registered now, S/N 18501623, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185E - Registry model: [Cessna A185E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (registry code 2072818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1623 - Airframe hours: 1450 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles R. Fryer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 2, 2004, 30 hours before - Departed: King Salmon, AK - Destination: ANC, Anchorage, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 12, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 27,000 total, 560 in this make and model, 26,800 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °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 20040519010489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040519010489A), May 19, 2004: Cessna A185E, King Salmon, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft a Cessna 185E (N1932U) landed on lower ugashik lake while bear hunting. The take off area was a strip of sand and gravel composition not… 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.