# NTSB ANC98LA132: Cessna 185E, N1987U, Anchorage, AK, August 30, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 29, 1998, 17:50 local (Aug 30, 1998, 01:50 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.180526, -149.879531 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1805&lon=-149.8795&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 19, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 43874 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43874/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA132 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent ground loop/swerve. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. ## 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 - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was landing a tailwheel equipped airplane on a paved, dry runway. The pilot stated that on initial touchdown, the airplane bounced and became airborne. He recovered from the bounce, and added power to cushion the decent. He said that as the right main wheel touched down again, the airplane veered to the left, and continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane then nosed over, and received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, doors, and rudder assembly. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On August 29, 1998, about 1750 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N1987U, sustained substantial damage while landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the three passengers aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Seldovia Airport, Seldovia, Alaska, about 1620. In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 24, and on initial touchdown, the airplane bounced and became airborne. He recovered from the bounce, and added power to cushion the decent. He said that as the right main wheel touched down again, the airplane veered to the left, and continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane then nosed over, and received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, doors, and rudder assembly. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Merrill Field weather observation at the time of the accident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 6000 feet broken; visibility, 10 statute miles; wind, variable at 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1987U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1987U-2012-08-20), registration cancelled 2012-08-20, S/N 18501745, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185E - Registry model: [Cessna A185E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (registry code 2072818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18501745 - Airframe hours: 6115 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Carroll A. Pitman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 13, 1998, 87 hours before - Departed: SOV, SELDOVIA, AK - Destination: MRI - Airport: MRI, Merrill Field, runway 24, 3,999 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 12,257 total, 74 in this make and model, 5,237 as pilot in command, 153 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MRI ## 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 19980829022349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980829022349A), Aug 29, 1998: Cessna A185E, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. (.4) The airline transport pilot was landing a tailwheel equipped airplane on a paved, dry runway. The pilot stated that on initial touchdown, the airplane… ## Other investigations on N1987U (2) 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 ANC02LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA119), Sep 11, 2002: Cessna 185 (N1987U), Mc Grath, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor associated with the accident was a variable wind condition. - [NTSB ANC98LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA030), Mar 24, 1998: Cessna 185E (N1987U), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions during landing. A factor was the 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.