# NTSB ANC09TA005: Cessna A185F, N9380N, Kenai, AK, October 9, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: October 8, 2008, 16:45 local (Oct 9, 2008, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Kenai, AK - Coordinates: 60.840278, -152.180831 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.8403&lon=-152.1808&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 15, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 69258 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC09TA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69258/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09TA005 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from high vegetation while taxiing after landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot landed on a remote airstrip and was taxiing to the end of the landing area. He began to turn the airplane around, but the elevator struck an area of low brush along the edge of the strip. The elevator received structural damage and required replacement. ## Factual narrative On October 8, 2008, about 1645 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N9380N, sustained substantial damage while taxiing from landing at a remote airstrip, about 32 miles west of Kenai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area public use flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Wildlife Troopers, Soldotna, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on October 10, the pilot reported that he was conducting a wildlife enforcement flight, and landed on a remote airstrip that was about 2,000 feet long. After landing, the pilot turned the airplane around at the end of the airstrip, but the elevator struck an area of low brush along the edge of the airstrip. The elevator received structural damage that required replacement. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9380N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9380N), registered now, S/N 18504344, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18504344 - Airframe hours: 3729 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - state, Part 91 - Operator: Alaska Department Of Public Safety - Registered owner: Alaska Department Of Public Safety - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 22, 2008, 69 hours before - Departed: PASX, Soldotna, AK - Destination: PASX, Soldotna, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 16,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 15,500 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °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 20081008848959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081008848959A), Oct 8, 2008: Cessna A185F, Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot in command (PIC) state he taxied into a parking area adjacent to the off airport landing field, and while turning the aircraft to stop and… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.