- Date
- January 29, 2017, 15:00 local (Jan 30, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5222ECessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 4, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170129005389A
- Case key
- 94700
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 improper decision to land on a snow-covered airstrip with a tundra tire-equipped airplane, which resulted in a nose-over.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tundra tire- and tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while on the flight back to his home airport, he decided to land on a snow-covered airstrip. He flew over the landing area three times before deciding on the fourth pass to attempt a full-stop landing. During the touchdown of the three-point landing, he realized the snow was deeper than he had expected, and the airplane decelerated rapidly. The pilot increased power, but the airplane continued to sink in the snow. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and slid to a stop inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that while on the flight back to his home airport, he decided to land on a snow-covered airstrip. The pilot further reported that he flew over the landing area three times before deciding on the fourth pass to attempt a full stop landing. During the touchdown of the 3-point landing, he realized the snow was deeper than he had expected and the airplane decelerated rapidly. The pilot reported that he increased power, but the airplane continued to sink in the snow. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and slid to a stop inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its empennage. The pilot reported there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5222E
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50522
- Built
- 1959
- Airframe hours
- 7,327
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470-R-13, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2016
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 6, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 100 in this make and model · 250 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 18 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEN, 47 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 16, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.
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 N5222E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.