- Date
- August 1, 1991, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Amitchiak Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1687MCessna A185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910801031359A
- Case key
- 5487
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's airspeed above stalling; thereby losing control. Factors contributing to the accident were the mountainous terrain, the mountain wave, and insufficient altitude from which to recover.
Analysis
Amitchiak Lake is located in a mountain valley with a field elevation of 2,500 feet. The wind was blowing from the north, northwest. The airplane took off into the wind and had to make a turn to avoid rising terrain. The takeoff area was directly downwind of rising terrain. According to the witness, the airplane banked to the left and was flying in a south, southwesterly direction over the water when the airplane's nose went down and the airplane nosed into the water. Examination of the airplane wreckage showed no mechanical irregularity with the flight controls, engine, and other systems on the airplane.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1687M
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18501874
- Airframe hours
- 3,980
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Gaedeke, Bernd A.
- Registered owner
- Gaedeke, Bernd A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 1991 · 200 hours before
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.