ANC95LA146

The pilot landed on a 'dry lake bed' to assist the pilot of another airplane which was mired in mud. After assisting the other pilot, the accident pilot attempted to takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the right wing of the airplane struck some tall willow bushes, and the airplane veered to the right. The airplane then began to slide left with the nose pointing to the right. The left main gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground.

On August 20, 1995, at 1800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N9407C, registered to and operated by the pilot, struck tall willow bushes with the right wing, slid sideways, and collapsed the left main gear. The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a dry lake bed located 150 miles southeast of Fort Yukon, Alaska, at geographic coordinates 66 degrees, 16.49 minutes north, and 143 degrees, 44.49 minutes west. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, was departing the dry lake bed and the destination was Fort Yukon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage.

During a telephone conversation with the pilot on August 22, 1995, he stated he was flying over the dry lake bed, when he received a distress call from a pilot of another airplane that was stuck in the mud on the dry lake bed. He landed and assisted the other pilot. After assisting the other pilot, the accident pilot attempted to takeoff. He stated that his right wing struck the tall willow bushes located next to the takeoff area. The airplane veered to the right and began sliding to the left. The left main gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground.