- Date
- October 28, 2017, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2661QCessna 182
- Defining event
- Landing: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171028020429A
- Case key
- 96351
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 decision to land on an unimproved snow-covered airstrip, which resulted in the airplane coming to rest inverted.
Findings · 4
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 reported that, while landing on an unimproved snow-covered airstrip, he touched down in a configuration on the main landing gear "for a soft field landing." He added that, about 10 to 15 mph, he allowed the nosewheel to settle in the snow. Subsequently, the nosewheel broke through the crusted layer of snow, and the airplane "lurched" forward coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while landing on an unimproved snow covered airstrip, he touched down in a configuration on the main landing gear "for a soft field landing". He added that, at about 10-15 miles per hour, he allowed the nose wheel to settle in the snow. Subsequently, the nose wheel broke through the crusted layer of snow and the airplane "lurched" forward coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2661Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18257861
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 3,567.03
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-520 SERIES, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2017
- Departed
- 4AK6 · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Skwentna, AK
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 21, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 763 total · 570 in this make and model · 691 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK, 41 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.