- Date
- March 15, 1982
- Place
- Paxson, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6978HCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 15, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19820315007309A
- Case key
- 72173
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - icyFactor
Terrain condition - snow coveredFactor
Terrain condition - hidden obstruction(s)Factor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedCause
Analysis
After landing on a snow covered, frozen lake, the pilot began to taxi to the desired parking spot. While taxiing, the aircraft encountered an area of smooth ice under the snow and began to slide sideways. The right ski dropped through an overflow area on the ice. Subsequently, the right wing spar, aileron, and elevator were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6978H
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503347
- Airframe hours
- 1,777
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- W.T. Ellis
- Registered owner
- W.T. Ellis
- Departed
- Gulkana, AK
- Destination
- Carter, MT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Frozen Paxson Lake
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,342 total · 1,454 in this make and model · 4,152 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.