Cessna 185 N9452N

Summary

On 19 January 2005 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N9452N was involved in an accident near Eek, 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

19 January 2005 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Eek, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.2104, -162.0300

Aircraft

Cessna 185

Registration

N9452N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bethel → Eek

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05TA022

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather conditions, which resulted in an on ground encounter with terrain during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were a tailwind, and snow-covered, icy terrain conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot, a Fish and Wildlife Protection Officer, and the passenger, a State Trooper, were utilizing a wheel/ski-equipped airplane to conduct surveillance activities of hunters. The pilot was landing to the west on the hard packed snow and ice-covered lake, which he thought would required a correction for a left crosswind. After landing, as the airplane neared the end of its 950 long landing roll, the nose of the airplane veered to the left, and the airplane began to slide sideways. The airplane turned about 90 degrees to the left, and the right ski dug into the snow. The right wing and right stabilizer subsequently struck the surface of the frozen lake. The pilot noted in his written report: "As I exited the pilot's side of the aircraft, I was extremely surprised to find that the wind was actually a left quartering tailwind, at about 15 knots." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right stabilizer. There were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.