Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Tuesady, June 16, 1998 12:15 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During takeoff from a glacier off airport landing site, the right landing gear leg and ski separated from the airplane and both wings contacted the snow. Postaccident inspection revealed multiple site fatigue cracks at both upper wheel attachment bolt holes on the right landing gear leg. The airplane was routinely used for off airport landings on both wheels and skis. The airplane had accumulated 6,561 hours in operation at the time of the accident. No life limit (hours or cycles) exists for Cessna 185 landing gear legs. The only inspection for cracks is a visual inspection for general condition performed at 100 hour and annual intervals. This inspection does not require removal of the wheels/skis, nor does it require removal of any paint coatings prior to inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the right main landing gear leg due to fatigue cracking. A factor associated with this accident is the inadequate inspection procedure specified by the manufacturer.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/16/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1215 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | TALKEETNA |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99676 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 50 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 628 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 16 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1415 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 16 2001 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N185DG |
| NTSB Number | ANC98LA074 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | A185F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A185F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18503802 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 31 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 6561 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DOUGLAS GEETING |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 42 |
| Aircraft Owner City | TALKEETNA |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99676 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | DOUGLAS GEETING AVIATION, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 42 |
| Operator City | TALKEETNA |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 99676 |
| Operator Code | INYC |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | KAHILTNA GLAC'R |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1215 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | TKA |
| Destination City | TALKEETNA |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2001 6:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |