Cessna A185 N5457X

Summary

On 21 May 2019 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna A185 registered N5457X was involved in an accident near Whittier, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 2019 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Whittier, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.9106, -147.7708

Aircraft

Cessna A185

Registration

N5457X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19FA152

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to configure the landing gear for a water landing, which resulted in a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction due to his talking passengers.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after landing on water, the amphibious airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The passenger in the front right seat drowned following the accident, likely as a result of being incapacitated by head injuries sustained during the impact. The landing gear were found extended and the landing gear selector was found in the "down" position. The airplane was equipped with a visual landing gear indicator as well as an audio annunciator that was designed to provide a reminder of the gear position to the pilot once the airplane had slowed to its landing approach speed. During the nearly 7 years that the pilot had owned the airplane, the landing gear annunciator system had been out of adjustment and did not give an audible alert until after landing. The pilot was aware of the discrepancy but did not have the system repaired or adjusted. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot's failure to configure the landing gear for the water landing. The pilot stated that he was likely distracted by both passengers, who were talking throughout the flight, including during the descent, and landing approach. It is likely that his distraction due to the talking passengers contributed to his failure to configure the gear and to recognize that it was not configured properly before landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.