- Date
- May 3, 1996, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kodiak, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N70039Cessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 1, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960503009389A
- Case key
- 2838
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Factors associated with the accident were the soft terrain at the landing site, and a crosswind.
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.
Analysis
The pilot landed the airplane to the north on a beach. He described the wind as being from his left. He said that as the airplane slowed, he felt the right wheel start dragging. The airplane then ground looped and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On May 3, 1996, at 0830 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N70039, registered to and operated by the pilot, ground looped and nosed over during an off airport landing on the beach near Big River, Alaska, at geographic coordinates, 58 degrees, 35.6 minutes north, 153 degrees, 53 minutes west. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed the beach at Whiskey Gulch located near Deep Creek, Alaska, and the destination was the location of the accident. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated private pilot and the two passengers were not injured and the airplane received substantial damage.
During a telephone interview with the pilot on May 4, 1996, he stated that he was landing on the beach to the north and he had a crosswind from the left. As the airplane slowed to 15 to 20 knots, he stated he felt the right wheel start dragging. The airplane then ground looped and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70039
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18501910
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mike Mcdowell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Whiskey Gulch, AK
- Destination
- Big River, AK
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 25 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N70039 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.