- Date
- April 2, 2009, 17:00 local (Apr 3, 2009, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bettles, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2801KCessna 180K
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (Airworthiness)
- FAA report
- 20090402046879A
- Case key
- 73612
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 landing area.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial pilot reported that he was landing on the frozen snow-covered lake in a ski-equipped airplane. During the landing roll the airplane's main landing gear skis encountered a snowdrift, which stripped the nuts that connect the skis to the main landing gear axle. Both skis separated and the airplane's left main landing gear leg collapsed. The left wing struck the snow-covered frozen lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should have inspected the landing site before landing, then selected a better area to land on.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot reported that he was landing on the frozen snow-covered lake in a ski-equipped airplane. During the landing roll the airplane's main landing gear skis encountered a snowdrift, which stripped the nuts that connect the skis to the main landing gear axle. Both skis separated and the airplane's left main landing gear leg collapsed. The left wing struck the snow-covered frozen lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should have inspected the landing site before landing, then selected a better area to land on.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2801K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18053072
- Airframe hours
- 8,913
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carrier Timothy Levite
- Registered owner
- Carrier Timothy Levite
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 25, 2008 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- Bettles, AK
- Flight plan
- 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,671 total · 190 in this make and model · 1,640 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 19 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 654 KB in all.
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 N2801K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.