- Date
- February 11, 2018, 14:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nenana, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2347CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180211002379A
- Case key
- 96735
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 failure to maintain an adequate approach path to an unimproved airstrip, which resulted in a hard landing short of the airstrip.
Findings · 3
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 tailwheel- and ski-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on an unimproved, snow-covered airstrip, the airplane landed hard and short of the airstrip due to wind shear and wind gusts. The airplane slid on its right side and came to rest on the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind condition was light and variable at 5 knots and was not gusting.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel and ski-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on an unimproved, snow-covered airstrip, the airplane landed hard and short of the airstrip due to windshear and wind gusts. The airplane slid on the right side and came to rest on the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind condition was light and variable at 5 knots and was not gusting.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2347C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30647
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 5,395
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Mallen Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Allen, Michael G. H.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 22, 2017
- Departed
- ENN · Nenana, AK
- Destination
- Nenana, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 27, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 250 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 10 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- PACL, 37 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 581 KB 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.