Cessna A185F N4448R

Summary

On 6 July 2009 at about 03:30 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N4448R, operated by Frank R. Bell, was involved in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska, United States. 4 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

6 July 2009 at 03:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Skwentna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.9167, -151.5833

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N4448R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Frank R. Bell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Shell Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC09CA067

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to recognize his proximity to the glassy water landing surface while flying in smoke haze, and his failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the landing approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had a hard landing during a personal flight in a float-equipped airplane under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a written report to the NTSB, the pilot stated, in part: “With the glassy water and the smoke haze I lost my depth perception and hit the water hard.” A postflight examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot wrote in his report that the accident could have been prevented by using the shoreline to determine altitude during landing. He noted that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.