- Date
- November 23, 2011, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N121EECessna A185F
- Defining event
- Enroute: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 8, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 82436
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
A broken wheel/ski clevis pin, which allowed the ski to pivot upward and strike the right wing lift strut.
Findings · 1
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 pilot reported that, after departing from a snow-covered glacier in a wheel/ski-equipped airplane, he retracted the skis in preparation for landing on a paved runway. During the retraction, the right wheel/ski pivoted up, striking the airplane's right wing lift strut, which sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the ski's right rear clevis pin had broken, which allowed the ski to pivot upward. Other than the broken clevis pin, there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after departing from a snow-covered glacier in a tailwheel and wheel/ski-equipped airplane, he retracted the skis in preparation for landing on a paved runway. During the retraction, the right wheel/ski pivoted up, striking the airplane's right wing lift strut. Inspection revealed that the ski's right rear clevis pin had broken, which allowed the ski to pivot upwards. The right wing lift strut sustained substantial damage, which required replacement. Other than the broken clevis pin, the pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N121EE
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503765
- Airframe hours
- 10,061
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Sheldon Air Service
- Registered owner
- David J. Lee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 24, 2011 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- PATK · Talkeetna, 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,400 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 12,300 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 10 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 16 °F
- Observed at
- PATK, 4 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 435 KB in all.
Other investigations on N121EE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.