- Date
- June 4, 1998, 20:10 local (Jun 5, 1998, 04:10 UTC)
- Place
- Iliamna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N32663Cessna 185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980604015329A
- Case key
- 3150
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the hilly terrain.
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 certificated commercial pilot stated the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine began to run rough, and lose power. The engine continued to lose power until altitude could no longer be maintained, and the pilot selected a hillside as an emergency landing site. During the emergency landing, the airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. On July 1, NTSB personnel performed an engine examination at Wick Air, Inc., Wasilla, Alaska. No preaccident engine anomalies were noted. On September 11, FAA personnel operated the engine on the airframe, and reported that the engine operated normally at idle power.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 1998, about 2010 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N32663, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing on a hillside, about 40 miles southeast of Iliamna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the King Salmon Airport, King Salmon, Alaska, at 1910.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, on June 5, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, and lose power. The engine continued to lose power until altitude could no longer be maintained, and the pilot selected a hillside as an emergency landing site. During the emergency landing, the airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage.
In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot stated that weather conditions at the time of the accident consisted of: Wind, 090 degrees at 45 knots, with peak gusts to 50 knots; visibility, 2 statute miles with rain and fog; clouds, 1,500 feet overcast.
On July 1, NTSB personnel performed an engine examination at Wick Air, Inc., Wasilla, Alaska. No preaccident engine anomalies were noted.
On September 11, FAA personnel operated the engine on the airframe, and reported that the engine operated normally at idle power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32663
- Reported as
- Cessna 185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18502100
- Airframe hours
- 5,300
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ceiil & Catharine Shuman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 31, 1998 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- AKN · King Salmon, AK
- Destination
- BCV · Birchwood, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,500 total · 5,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 45 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.