- Date
- May 10, 2007, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cantwell, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9832XCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20070510020169A
- Case key
- 65761
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a descent into high vegetation, and a nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and a downdraft.
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 certificated pilot was departing a remote cabin airstrip on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross country personal flight. The tundra and rock covered airstrip was oriented northeast/southwest, and was about 800 feet long and about 20 feet wide. The pilot departed toward and southwest, and lifted off with 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot said that at an altitude of about 10 feet, the airplane encountered a downdraft, which forced the airplane downward into high brush and a tree, about 200 feet beyond the end of the airstrip. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and empennage when it nosed over. The pilot said that convective activity and turbulence associated with thunderstorms was in the vicinity, with light rain showers in the area.
Factual narrative
The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote cabin airstrip on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross country personal flight. The tundra and rock covered airstrip was oriented northeast/southwest, and was about 800 feet long and about 20 feet wide. The pilot departed toward and southwest, and lifted off with 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot said that at an altitude of about 10 feet, the airplane encountered a downdraft, which forced the airplane downward into high brush and a tree, about 200 feet beyond the end of the airstrip. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and empennage when it nosed over. The pilot said that convective activity and turbulence associated with thunderstorms was in the vicinity, with light rain showers in the area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9832X
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1850032
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David M. Parmenter
- Registered owner
- Copper Valley Air Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Cantwell, AK
- Destination
- PAGK · Glennallen, AK
- Flight plan
- Company 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 7,100 total · 250 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9832X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.