# NTSB ANC05CA013: Cessna 185, N185CQ, Skwentna, AK, October 29, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 29, 2004, 14:30 local (22:30 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: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 60513
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05CA013
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60513/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05CA013

## Probable cause

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in a nose over during the landing roll.  A factor associated with the accident was deep wet snow.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
- Nose over, landing

## Analysis

The airline transport certificated pilot was landing on a snow-covered site.  The pilot said that during the landing roll, the main landing gear tires contacted deep wet snow, and the airplane nosed over.  The airplane sustained structural damage to the  wings and rudder.  The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On October 29, 2004, about 1430 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N185CQ, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at a remote off-airport site, located about 9 miles northwest 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 airline transport certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.  The flight originated at the Lake Hood Airstrip, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1330.  No flight plan was filed, nor was one required.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on November 8, the pilot reported that he was landing on a snow-covered site.  He said that during the landing roll, the main landing gear tires contacted deep wet snow, and the airplane nosed over.  The airplane sustained structural damage to the  wings and rudder.  The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N185CQ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N185CQ), registered now, S/N 1850400, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 185
- Registry model: [Cessna 185A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185a) (registry code 2072804) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-470-series) (registry code 17044, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1850400
- Airframe hours: 5234
- Engines: Continental IO-470-F 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Danny R. Jorgenson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 19, 2004, 12 hours before
- Departed: Z41, Anchorage, AK
- Destination: Skwentna, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 19,000 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 30 °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 20041029029489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041029029489A), Oct 29, 2004: Cessna 185A, Skwentna, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot landed aircraft in 12 inches of snow and aircraft nosed-over causing substantial damage.

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.

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