# NTSB ANC04LA068: Cessna 185, N185AV, Skwentna, AK, June 13, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2004, 08:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Skwentna, AK - Coordinates: 61.95, -151.183334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9500&lon=-151.1833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59511 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59511/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA068 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his inadequate flare while landing, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the main landing gear. Factors associated with the accident were a downdraft, and rough and uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was landing on a rough and uneven gravel-covered airstrip. He said that during the landing flare, he encountered a slight downdraft, and the airplane touched down harder than anticipated. After touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the right main landing gear. Following the landing gear collapse, the fuselage struck the surface of the gravel-covered site, and sustained structural damage to the left elevator, left wing, and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2004, about 0800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N185AV, sustained substantial damage when both main landing gear collapsed while landing on rough and uneven terrain, about 10 miles south-southwest of Skwentna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and the one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. The flight originated about 0715, from the Merrill Field Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on June 24, the pilot reported that he was landing on a remote gravel-covered beach site, adjacent to the Talachuitna River. He said that during the landing flare, he encountered a slight downdraft, and the airplane touched down harder than anticipated. After touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the right main landing gear. Following the landing gear collapse, the fuselage struck the surface of the gravel-covered site, and sustained structural damage to the left elevator, left wing, and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N185AV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N185AV-2008-07-15), registration cancelled 2008-07-15, S/N 18503351, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185 - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18503351 - Airframe hours: 2458 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: CIL, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 28, 2004, 54 hours before - Departed: MRL, Anchorage, AK - Destination: SKW, Skwentna, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 8, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 3,516 total, 1,840 in this make and model, 3,391 as pilot in command, 147 in the last 90 days, 79 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 360° at 10 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - 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 20040613011499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040613011499A), Jun 13, 2004: Cessna A185F, Skwentna, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 13, 2004 at approximately 2000 hours, Mr. Lonnie e. avra, piloting a Cessna A185F N185AV performed a hard landing at an unimproved rough and… 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.