# NTSB ANC97LA058: Cessna 185F, N8310Q, Manley, AK, April 17, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 16, 1997, 19:00 local (Apr 17, 1997, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Manley, AK - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 29, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2991 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC97LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2991/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA058 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing run. Factors relating to the accident were: frozen terrain, adverse wind condition, and proximity of a snowbank. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - terrain condition - frozen (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was landing a ski/wheel equipped airplane on a remote, ice covered lake. During the landing run toward the north, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the left, and it began to ground loop with the tail of the airplane veering to the right. The right wing of the airplane collided with a snow bank, and the airplane came to rest upright. The pilot reported the wind conditions were, 270 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. ## Factual narrative On April 16, 1997, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski equipped Cessna 185F, N8310Q, crashed during landing on a remote frozen lake, about 40 miles south of Manley Hot Springs, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, at 1800. On April 22, 1997, at 1430, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), that she was landing on Wein Lake in a northerly direction. The skis were deployed for the landing. After touchdown, the pilot noticed the wind conditions were stronger than anticipated, and the ground speed was faster than anticipated. During the rollout, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the left (west), and the airplane began to ground loop with the tail of the airplane veering to the right. The right wing of the airplane collided with a snow bank, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane received damage to the right wing spar, right horizontal stabilizer, and the right side of the fuselage. The pilot reported the weather conditions consisted of clear skies; visibility, 60 miles, temperature, 20 degrees F; wind, 270 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8310Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8310Q), registered now, S/N 18503650, built 1978 (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: 185003659 - Airframe hours: 2894 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robin L. Maher - Registered owner: Maher Family Trust - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 10, 1997, 30 hours before - Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 400 total, 169 in this make and model, 253 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 60 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 19970416006319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970416006319A), Apr 16, 1997: Cessna A185F, Manley, AK, Substantial damage. Landing on frozen lake. Began to ground loop due gusty crosswind. Wing hit a snowbank. Spar fuselage tail damage. ## Other investigations on N8310Q (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 ANC14CA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA009), Nov 23, 2013: Cessna A185F (N8310Q), Nenana, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in a collision with terrain. 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.