Cessna A185F N5317R

Summary

On 12 August 1990 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N5317R, operated by Temsco Airlines, was involved in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1990 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wrangell, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

56.4107, -131.6090

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N5317R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Temsco Airlines

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petersburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA90FA163

1 person died.

THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE CESSNA 185 WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR THE PASSENGER TO MAP THE COAST LINE. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER AGREED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS TO BE FLOWN AT 400 FT AGL AND AT 75 MPH. DURING FLIGHT, THE PASSENGER MISSED AN AREA AND WANTED THE PILOT TO TURN AROUND. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED AND BEGAN AN APPROXIMATE 15 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT TOWARD THE TERRAIN. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TURN, THE PILOT DID NOT APPLY POWER. WHILE IN BETWEEN TWO SMALL HILLS, THE PASSENGER FELT LIGHT TURBULENCE THEN SUDDENLY THE RIGHT WING RAISED AND THE NOSE FELL TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT AT THIS POINT APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN AND COLLIDED INTO THE WATER JUST OFF SHORE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION. DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS THE PILOT LOGGED A TOTAL OF 279 HOURS, ALL IN FLOATPLANES. THREE OF THOSE HOURS WERE IN THE CESSNA 185.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.