# NTSB ANC21LA031: Cessna A185F, N714JE, Anchorage, AK, April 15, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 15, 2021, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK · MRI - Coordinates: 61.21628, -149.83644 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2163&lon=-149.8364&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102961 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC21LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102961/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102961 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA031 ## Probable cause A loss of control during landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that, nothing abnormal with the tailwheel-equipped airplane occurred during initial taxi, takeoff, or during the approach. During the landing, after touchdown, as power was reduced and the airplane began to “settle”, the airplane veered right. He attempted to correct for the veer, added engine power, and the airplane became airborne. During the second flight around the pattern the safety pilot (SP) flew the airplane and the approach with no issues. The SP performed the second landing, and after the touchdown the airplane veered to the right again. The SP and PIC attempted to correct for the veer to no avail. The airplane subsequently continued to veer right, exited the runway on the right side, impacted a snowbank, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The PIC reported that the nature and circumstances of the incident caused him to believe that there was something mechanical that forced the airplane to turn rapidly to the right during both landings. However, the PIC did not know what that could be. The airplane had a wheel alignment performed the day before the accident, and the airplane was taxi tested with an additional two takeoffs and landings with the airplane “tracking satisfactory”, before being signed-off. A post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions. It was noted that the alignment of the main landing gear and wheel could not be determined due to the amount of side-load the airplane experienced during the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N714JE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N714JE), registered now, S/N 18504398, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F - 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: 18504398 - Year built: 1983 - Airframe hours: 3258.3 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 7, 2021 - Airport: MRI, Merrill Fld, runway 25, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 8, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,202 total, 27 in this make and model, 1,145 as pilot in command, 79 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days - Pilot-rated passenger; age 22; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review February 3, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 844.2 total, 760.2 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: PAMR, 1 nm away - METAR: PAMR 151953Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 07/M02 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP252 T00721022 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20210415006049I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210415006049I), Apr 15, 2021: Cessna A185F, Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Arrived on scene as airport maintenance crew was righting aircraft in place. A/c was 4 months old to [privacy data omitted]pilot who has flown it ~32 hours… ## Other investigations on N714JE (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 ANC06CA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06CA071), Jun 15, 2006: Cessna 185F (N714JE), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an emergency landing and an in-flight collision with trees. ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102961. 10.4 MB in all. - (Pilot) pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12295811&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mark%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - (Jackson) pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12296473&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Jackson%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Jackson statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 547 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12297005&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Jackson%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Airport maintenance roc (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12312968&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airport%20ROC-Rel.pdf - CFI roc (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 128 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12311655&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CFI%20ROC-Rel.pdf - FAA roc (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12313563&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20ROC-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 7, PDF, 4 pages, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12326831&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Structures email (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 405 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12296755&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Structures%20email_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident pictures (item 9, PDF, 2 pages, 646 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12296673&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Pictures-Rel.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.