- Date
- January 5, 2013, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4538FCessna A185E
- Defining event
- Taxi: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 3, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20130105000789A
- Case key
- 86061
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 unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a main landing gear collapse.
Findings · 4
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 of the wheel/ski-equipped airplane landed on a remote, frozen, snow-covered lake. While taxiing to park, the right wheel/ski struck an area of ice overflow that was covered by snow. During the collision, the axle bolts on the right wheel/ski broke, which pivoted the airplane to the right, and the right wing struck the snow-covered ice. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In a written statement, the pilot reported that flat light conditions on the snow-covered lake contributed to his inability to see the ice overflow.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the wheel/ski-equipped airplane landed on a remote frozen snow-covered lake. While taxiing to parking, the right wheel/ski struck an area of ice overflow that was covered by snow. During the collision, the axle bolts on the right wheel/ski broke, which pivoted the airplane to the right, and the right wing struck the snow-covered ice. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. Other than the broken axle bolts, the pilot reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that flat light conditions on the snow-covered lake contributed to his inability to see the ice overflow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4538F
- Reported as
- Cessna A185E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-1025
- Airframe hours
- 3,316
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William A Barnes
- Registered owner
- William A Barnes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 30, 2012
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Skwentna, 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 1,490 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft overcast
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 7, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB 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.