- Date
- August 15, 2013, 16:40 local (Aug 16, 2013, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sleetmute, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N185SNCessna 185
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20130815018749A
- Case key
- 87849
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
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 during the landing roll in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, everything was normal until the tailwheel touched the ground and the airplane began to veer to the right. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right, exited the runway, and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the fuselage gear box was structurally damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, everything was normal until the tailwheel touched the ground and the airplane began to veer to the right. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right, exited the runway, and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the fuselage gear box was structurally damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185SN
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-01943
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- David Henley
- Registered owner
- Alaskan Adventures Restoration Thru Recreation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 2013
- Departed
- Sleetmute, AK
- Destination
- Sleetmute, AK
- Airport
- runway 28, 2,400 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 18,500 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- PASL, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.