Cessna 185F N6420E

Summary

On 10 January 1989 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 185F registered N6420E was involved in an accident near Juneau, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 January 1989 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Juneau, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Snettisham

Coordinates

58.5797, -134.7704

Aircraft

Cessna 185F

Registration

N6420E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kake → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA89LA032

Nobody was injured.

THE MISJUDGEMENT OF THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS ON THE PART OF THE PILOT PRIOR TO LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DEEP SNOW ON THE RUNWAY, BOX CANYON CONFIGURATION OF THE AREA PRECLUDING RUNWAY OVERFLIGHT, MARGINAL WEATHER/LIGHT CONDITIONS FOR ASSESSING THE RUNWAY STATUS AND FAILURE ON THE PART OF COMPANY DISPATCH PERSONNEL TO ACQUIRE AND PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS BEFORE DIVERTING THE FLIGHT TO THE LOCATION OF THE MISHAP.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

FAR 135 FLT WAS DIVERTED TO REMOTE STRIP TO PICK UP ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS. THE DISPATCHER WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED BY 4 FT OF SNOW UNTIL THE ACFT WAS BEYOND RADIO RANGE. THE PLT ASSUMED THAT THE RWY HAD BEEN PLOWED AS IT WAS IN PREVIOUS WINTERS. THE BOX CANYON CONDITION OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN PRECLUDED THE PLT FROM OVER FLYING THE RWY TO CHECK ITS CONDITION. ON APPROACH THE RWY APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL SNOW PACKED SURFACE. THE PLT LANDED THE AMPHIB FLOAT ACFT WITH THE LANDING GEAR DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.