ANC07LA035

The airplane was being operated by a mountain flying service delivering climbers and their equipment to a glacier base camp, under Title 14, CFR Part 135. The commercial certificated pilot said during the landing roll on the glacier, while turning to the left, the right ski loaded up with snow. He said the ski attachment to the right main landing gear broke, and the gear leg dug into the snow. The airplane nosed down, and the right wing struck the surface of the glacier, damaging the wing and aileron. The pilot said an examination of the landing gear revealed that the ski attaching bolts had sheared. He said he had made several trips to the glacier that day, and that there were no problems with the airplane or the landing gear prior to the accident.

On May 1, 2007, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a ski-equipped Cessna A185F airplane, N185M, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear broke while landing on a glacier, about 74 miles west of Haines, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Mountain Flying Service, Haines, as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot, and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Haines Airport, Haines, about 1600.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on May 2, the pilot said during the landing roll on the glacier, he started a left turn, and the right ski started loading up with snow. He said the ski attachment to the right landing gear broke, and the gear leg dug into the snow. He reported the airplane nosed down, and the right wing struck the surface of the glacier. The pilot said an examination of the landing gear revealed that the ski attaching bolts had sheared, and that the right wing and aileron received structural damage. He said he had made several trips to the glacier that day, and that there were no problems with the gear prior to the accident. Due to the remote location, the airplane was not examined by the NTSB.