Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Russian Mission, Alaska 99657
Saturday, February 26, 2005 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot reported that he flared too high while landing his wheel-ski equipped airplane on a remote, frozen river. The airplane subsequently landed hard, and collapsed the left main landing gear, resulting in structural damage to the airplane fuselage and the main landing gear's left gear box. He noted that part of his cargo was a gasoline-powered ice auger, and it was leaking fuel. He said he rushed his landing approach to get the airplane on the ground and remove the auger.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged landing flare during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and structural damage to the fuselage when the left main landing gear collapsed. A factor associated with the accident is pressure placed upon the pilot by the conditions/events (leaking gas in the cargo compartment).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Russian Mission
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99657
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 615800N
Event Location Longitude 1601500W
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17668
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Feb 26 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80449
NTSB Number ANC05LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18503119
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 1902
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Harry E. Faulkner, Jr.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bethel
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99559
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BET
Departure City Bethel
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Russian Mission
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2005 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --