- Date
- July 20, 2016, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cordova, AK
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1222VCessna U206
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Juneau FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160720022629A
- Case key
- 93652
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent landing gear separation and collapse.
Findings · 3
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 while landing the tricycle-geared airplane on a remote beach, he "landed a little hard, but not too hard." Following touchdown, the right main landing separated at the axle, the right wing impacted the ground, and the left main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses soft-field landings and states in part: Landing on fields that are rough or have soft surfaces, such as snow, sand, mud, or tall grass requires unique procedures. When landing on such surfaces, the objective is to touch down as smoothly as possible, and at the slowest possible landing speed. The pilot must control the airplane in a manner that the wings support the weight of the airplane as long as practical, to minimize drag and stresses imposed on the landing gear by the rough or soft surface.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while landing the tricycle-geared airplane on a remote beach, he "landed a little hard, but not too hard." Following touchdown, the right main landing separated at the axle, the right wing impacted the ground, and the left main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses soft-field landings and states in part: Landing on fields that are rough or have soft surfaces, such as snow, sand, mud, or tall grass requires unique procedures. When landing on such surfaces, the objective is to touch down as smoothly as possible, and at the slowest possible landing speed. The pilot must control the airplane in a manner that the wings support the weight of the airplane as long as practical, to minimize drag and stresses imposed on the landing gear by the rough or soft surface.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1222V
- Reported as
- Cessna U206 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20602522
- Built
- 1974
- Engine
- Continental IO-520F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alaska Gulf Coast Adventures
- Registered owner
- Alaska Gulf Coast Adventures
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 2016
- Departed
- CDV · Cordova, AK
- Destination
- Cordova, AK
- Equipment
- None
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 4, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 4,500 in this make and model · 13,950 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- PACV, 26 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 347 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.