# NTSB ANC19LA049: Cessna A185, N121EE, Talkeetna, AK, July 17, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 17, 2019, 14:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 62.967224, -150.748886 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.9672&lon=-150.7489&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 100189 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC19LA049 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100189/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100189 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA049 ## Probable cause A fracture of the right outboard landing gear bracket for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuselage: gear attach fittings (on fus)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035343): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035343/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035343/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) ## Analysis The operator reported that, after an uneventful ski landing on a snow-covered glacier, the airplane taxied over some ruts and the pilot heard a "bang" on the right side of the airplane. After gliding to a stop, the pilot noticed the right wing was about 2 ft lower than normal. The pilot inspected the airplane and found that the right outboard landing gear bracket had fractured, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The outboard landing gear bracket was not made available to the NTSB for inspection; therefore, the reason for the bracket's failure could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 2019, at about 1445 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski-equipped Cessna A185 airplane, N121EE, sustained substantial damage while taxiing, after landing on the Ruth Glacier, about 50 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Sheldon Air Service as a visual flight rules on-demand sightseeing flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The certificated commercial pilot and four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an FAA flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Talkeetna Airport (PATK), Talkeetna, Alaska about 1415. According to the operator, the sightseeing flight included a landing at the Don Sheldon Mountain House, located in the Don Sheldon Amphitheater. The operator reported that, after an uneventful ski landing on the Ruth Glacier, the airplane taxied over some ruts when the pilot heard a "bang" on the right side of the airplane. After gliding to a stop, the pilot noticed the right wing was about 2 feet lower than normal. An inspection by the pilot, revealed that the right outboard landing gear bracket had fractured, which constituted substantial damage to the fuselage. The outboard landing gear bracket was not available to the NTSB for inspection. The closest weather reporting facility is Talkeetna Airport, (PATK), Talkeetna, Alaska. At 1453, a METAR from PATK was reporting in part: wind, variable at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 75° F; dew point 48° F; and an altimeter setting of 29.58 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N121EE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N121EE), registered now, S/N 18503765, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna A185 (F) - 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: 18503765 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 12729.4 - Engines: Continental IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 4, 2019 - Departed: Talkeetna, AK - Destination: Talkeetna, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 30, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 9,800 total, 5,782 in this make and model, 9,265 as pilot in command, 145 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.57 inHg - Observed at: PATK ## 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 20190717021589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190717021589A), Jul 17, 2019: Cessna A185F, Ruth Glacier, AK, Substantial damage. Flight was from talkeetna to the mountain house strip near Ruth Glacier. The Glacier landing was normal but as the pilot finished his rollout and slowed to… ## Other investigations on N121EE (1) 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. - [NTSB ANC12CA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA010), Nov 23, 2011: Cessna A185F (N121EE), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A broken wheel/ski clevis pin, which allowed the ski to pivot upward and strike the right wing lift strut. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100189. 4.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482450&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - NTSB's Damage Determination - Substantial (item 2, .PDF, 189 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482451&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%27s%20Damage%20Determination%20-%20Substantial%20-Master.PDF 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.