# NTSB ANC96TA075: Cessna A-185-F, N56581, Juneau, AK, May 20, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: May 20, 1996, 12:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Juneau, AK - Coordinates: 58.580734, -134.770034 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5807&lon=-134.7700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 20, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2919 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96TA075 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2919/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96TA075 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was the crosswind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot was landing a tailwheel airplane modified with over size 'Tundra' tires on a hard surfaced runway. He observed a crosswind from the right during the landing flare, and attempted to correct for the airplane's drift by placing the upwind (right) tire on the runway first. The airplane touched down on the right main tire first, and the pilot said he felt some drift, and then the airplane veering to the left. The right wing subsequently scraped the runway before the pilot was able to bring the airplane to a stop. Damage was observed to the right wing, and the right main tire was flat. Postaccident inspection of the right wheel assembly disclosed no evidence of preaccident mechanical anomaly. The pilot wrote in his statement that the accident could have been prevented by the use of better crosswind techniques. ## Factual narrative On May 20, 1996 at 1250 Alaska daylight time, a "Tundra" tire equipped Cessna-A185F airplane, N56581, operated by the U.S. Department of Interior's National Park Service, sustained substantial damage while landing on Runway 08 at Juneau International Airport, Juneau, Alaska. The solo commercial certificated pilot was uninjured. The government flight operated in visual meteorological conditions under 14 CFR Part 91, and departed Gustavus, Alaska at 1210 Alaska daylight time. The pilot reported that while on short final approach he noted a 15 to 20 degree crosswind from the right. He said as he began the landing flare, he sensed the airplane drifting. He placed the right, upwind wheel on the hard-surfaced runway first, and felt a drift to the left. Additional right aileron was added, but the airplane veered to the left, and the right wing contacted the runway. The pilot braked the airplane to a stop on the north edge of the runway. Upon leaving the airplane, he observed damage to the right wing, and a deflated right main tire. The pilot wrote in his report to the NTSB, under the section titled, Recommendation (How Could This Accident Been Prevented): "Better X-wind technique" Surface wind at the Juneau Airport at the time of the accident was reported to be from 110 degrees at 15 knots. The airplane's right wheel assembly, inclusive of the 8.50X10 inch tire, inner tube, and Gar Aero wheel adapters, were examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) at the hangar of Office of Aircraft Services (OAS) in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 17. Neither the IIC, or the Chief of Maintenance for OAS, were able to find any evidence of preaccident mechanical deficiency or other anomaly with the wheel assembly. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N56581](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N56581), registered now, S/N 18502907, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna A-185-F - 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: 18502907 - Airframe hours: 2977 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: National Park Service - Registered owner: U.S. Department Of Interior - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 3, 1996, 79 hours before - Departed: GST, GUSTAVUS, AK - Destination: JNU - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: JNU, Juneau, runway 8, 8,456 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,461 total, 245 in this make and model, 1,436 as pilot in command, 51 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 15 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: JNU ## 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 19960520035799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960520035799A), May 20, 1996: Cessna A185F, Juneau, AK, Substantial damage. Dept interior flight. Dragged a wing during crosswind landing. Side load and loss of control. ## Other investigations on N56581 (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 ANC96TA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96TA087), Jun 11, 1996: Cessna 185F (N56581), Gustavus, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind. 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.