- Date
- June 15, 2018, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9964XCessna 185
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180615007979A
- Case key
- 97488
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 inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll due to a flat tire.
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-equipped airplane reported that, during landing on a gravel airstrip, when the right main wheel touched down, the airplane veered right. He applied full left rudder to no avail. The right wheel exited the runway into soft, sandy soil, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that, after the accident, it was pointed out that the airplane had a flat tire and that there was a tire mark on the gravel runway from where the airplane touched down to where the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing on a gravel airstrip, when the right main wheel touched down, the airplane veered to the right. He applied full left rudder to no avail. The right wheel exited the runway into soft, sandy soil and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that, after the accident it was pointed out that the airplane had a flat tire, and that there was a tire mark on the gravel runway from where the airplane touched down to where the airplane nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9964X
- Reported as
- Cessna 185 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-0164
- Built
- 1961
- Airframe hours
- 2,100.7
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-470-F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 2018
- Departed
- UUO · Willow, AK
- Destination
- BGQ · Big Lake, AK
- Airport
- BGQ · Big Lake, runway 25, 2,450 × 70 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- May 17, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 366.2 total · 362.3 in this make and model · 374.5 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.