# NTSB ANC95TA102: Cessna 185C, N725, Bettles, AK, July 12, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: July 12, 1995, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Bettles, AK - Coordinates: 67.240577, -152.270721 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=67.2406&lon=-152.2707&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 27, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2750 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95TA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2750/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95TA102 ## Probable cause THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE HEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE WATER DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT RATE AT TOUCHDOWN. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - terrain condition - water,glassy (contributing factor) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - descent - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED TWO PREVIOUS GLASSY WATER LANDINGS ON THE LAKE. ON HIS THIRD LANDING, HE MISJUDGED HIS HEIGHT ABOVE THE WATER AND PREMATURELY REDUCED POWER. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED ABRUPTLY AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE ENSUING HARD LANDING. ## Factual narrative On July 12, 1995, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, N725, a Cessna 185C on floats, operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, landed hard on Walker Lake, Alaska, located about 50 miles west of Bettles, Alaska, and was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot and the two passengers aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan had been filed. The airplane was operated as a passenger-carrying, government use flight, and it was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to the pilot, he had made two previous uneventful glassy water landings on the lake. He stated that on the third landing, he misjudged the height above the water and reduced power too soon; the aircraft descended abruptly to a hard landing. An examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage structure adjacent to the left rear float attach fitting was deformed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N725](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N725), registered now, S/N 185-0737, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 185C - Registry model: [Cessna 185C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185c) (registry code 2072808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1850737 - Airframe hours: 8307 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91 - Registered owner: U.S. Dept. Of The Interior - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 26, 1994, 93 hours before - Departed: BTT, BETTLES, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,042 total, 500 in this make and model, 1,892 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## 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 19950712018699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950712018699A), Jul 12, 1995: Cessna 185C, Bettles, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft made hard landing on glassy water, drove struts into fuselage. (-4)the pilot had performed two previous glassy water landings on the lake. On his… ## Other investigations on N725 (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 FTW98LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA029), Oct 23, 1997: Cessna 185C (N725), Farmington, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper preflight of the airplane, by failing to properly set the elevator trim for takeoff, and his improper use use of the elevator flight controls. A related factor was: the pilot's… 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.