ANC96LA033

The pilot was carrying dog food supplies in support of the Iditarod Race. He flew to the checkpoint and was unable to find the landing area normally used due to a fresh snowfall. He elected to land on a ice covered slough. There was no snow on the slough. The pilot stated he bounced hard because there was no snow to cushion the touchdown. During the landing roll, the pilot could not stop the airplane on the ice and it slid into the scrub spruce trees at the end of the landing area. The pilot described the braking action as poor to nil.

On March 13, 1996, at 1619 Alaska standard time, a wheel/ski equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N93829, registered to Gussic Ventures of Anchorage, Alaska, and operated by Hagelund Aviation, of McGrath, Alaska, overran the landing area and crashed into trees while attempting to land on a slough near Cripple, Alaska. The accident site is located approximately 42 miles from McGrath on the 310 degree radial of the McGrath VOR. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed McGrath and the destination was Cripple. A company VFR flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane received substantial damage.

During a telephone conversation with the pilot on March 15, 1996, he stated that he was unable to find the landing area normally used due to a fresh snowfall. He decided to land on a frozen slough and bounced hard because there was no snow to cushion the touchdown. The airplane's wheels protruded through the bottom of the skis, as designed, and because there was no snow cover on the ice covered slough, the braking action was poor to nil. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane and it slid into the scrub spruce trees at the end of the slough.