- Date
- September 10, 2007, 19:30 local (Sep 11, 2007, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- McGrath, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N94260Cessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070910825209A
- Case key
- 66651
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 selection of an unsuitable takeoff area which resulted in an overrun and collision with a gravel berm during an aborted takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were his delay in aborting the takeoff, and the short takeoff area.
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 airline transport pilot was departing from a 960 foot-long, rough and uneven gravel airstrip, with three passengers and baggage during a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand charter flight. The pilot reported that prior to starting the takeoff, he selected 10 degrees of flaps. During the takeoff roll, he selected 20 degrees flaps as the airplane reached rotation speed. The pilot said that the airplane failed to become airborne as it neared the end of the airstrip, and he aborted the takeoff run. He applied heavy braking, but was unable to stop the airplane before it went off the airstrip. The airplane's main landing gear wheels collided with a gravel bar, and both main landing gear legs collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The airline transport pilot was departing from a 960 foot-long, rough and uneven gravel airstrip, with three passengers and baggage during a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand charter flight. The pilot reported that prior to starting the takeoff, he selected 10 degrees of flaps. During the takeoff roll, he selected 20 degrees flaps as the airplane reached rotation speed. The pilot said that the airplane failed to become airborne as it neared the end of the airstrip, and he aborted the takeoff run. He applied heavy braking, but was unable to stop the airplane before it went off the airstrip. The airplane's main landing gear wheels collided with a gravel bar, and both main landing gear legs collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94260
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1850326
- Airframe hours
- 4,359.5
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Servant Air Inc
- Registered owner
- Wesley A. Osowski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2007
- Departed
- McGrath, AK
- Destination
- Z41 · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- runway 36, 960 × 50 ft
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,166 total · 523 in this make and model · 3,734 as pilot in command · 230 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °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 N94260 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.