# NTSB ANC96LA030: Cessna 185F, N5246E, Skwentna, AK, March 4, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 4, 1996, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Skwentna, AK
- Coordinates: 61.930507, -151.730148 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9305&lon=-151.7301&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 9, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 2804
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96LA030
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2804/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA030

## Probable cause

the pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing. A factor associated with the accident was the rough and uneven terrain.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Main gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snow covered
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause)
  - landing gear,main gear - overload

## Analysis

The pilot landed the ski-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven frozen lake, and the left main landing gear collapsed. Inspection showed that the gear failure was consistent with overload forces.

## Factual narrative

On March 4, 1996, about 1700 Alaska standard time, a ski equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N5246E, sustained substantial damage while landing on a frozen lake located about 52 miles west of Skwentna, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot and two passengers aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight was operated by Talkeetna Air Taxi in visual meteorological conditions. The flight last departed Skwentna, Alaska, at 1630.

The pilot reported he landed on Puntilla Lake with two passengers. During the landing roll, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot wrote in his report to the NTSB that the landing didn't seem hard enough to break the landing gear.

An A&P mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA), who acts as the Director of Maintenance for Talkeetna Air Taxi, and went to the accident site to perform temporary repairs, reported that the pilot was landing on fairly rough and uneven snow and ice, and that the damage to the left main landing gear is consistent with overload.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5246E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5246E-2007-09-18), registration cancelled 2007-09-18, S/N 18503943, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 185F
- 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: 18503943
- Airframe hours: 5438
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Talkeetna Air Taxi
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 30, 1995, 10 hours before
- Departed: SKW, AK
- Flight plan: Company VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 29; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 3,010 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 19 °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 19960304003549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960304003549A), Mar 4, 1996: Cessna A185F, Swentna, AK, Substantial damage. Landed ski equipped plane on rough frozen lake ice. Impacts on ice ridges collapsed the main landing gear struts.

## Other investigations on N5246E (4)

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 ANC03LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA057), Jun 9, 2003: Cessna 185 (N5246E), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive taxi speed while attempting to turn the airplane in soft snow, which resulted in a nose over. A factor in the accident was soft snow.
- [NTSB ANC97LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA120), Aug 9, 1997: Cessna 185 (N5246E), Chickaloon, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: inadequate maintenance inspection and failure of the left main landing gear attachment due to fatigue. A factor was continuous use of the airplane for rough area, off-airport landings.
- [NTSB ANC96LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA111), Aug 4, 1996: Cessna 185 (N5246E), Healy, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate visual outlook by the pilots of both aircraft, and their failure to see and avoid the other aircraft. A factor associated with the accident was sunglare affecting the helicopter…
- [NTSB ANC90LA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC90LA136), Aug 8, 1990: Cessna 185 (N5246E), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SPRING UPON LANDING.

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.

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