Cessna 185 N749

Summary

On 8 June 2002 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N749, operated by U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service, was involved in an accident near Kaktovik, 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

8 June 2002 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

70.1201, -143.6593

Aircraft

Cessna 185

Registration

N749

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kaktovik → Canning River

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC02TA045

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions during landing at a remote lake, resulting in a downwind landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the presence of a tailwind, and an icy lake surface.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was landing a wheel/ski-equipped airplane on a remote ice-covered lake. He was concluding a public use caribou tracking flight. The pilot estimated there was about 1,500 feet of usable landing area. The pilot landed toward the west with the skis extended, but began sliding on the icy surface toward an area of open water along the shore of the lake. The pilot initiated a left turn and applied engine power. The airplane's right wing and right elevator struck the ice. The airplane received damage to the right wingtip, right aileron, and the right elevator. After landing, the pilot discovered the wind was from the east about 7 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.