Iron Canyon Reservoir Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Bend, California 96011
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a left turn to final, the airplane's left landing gear contacted the surface of a lake, causing the plane to settle into in the water and become submerged about 100 feet short of the landing area. The pilot reported that he had been using this private strip on the shore of a reservoir since 1965. He made several passes to check the condition of the unimproved area and noted that the lake level was higher than normal, which reduced the length of the landing area to about 600 feet. The pilot stated that the accident was caused by his failure to determine the proximity of the water surface. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot misjudged his clearance altitude above the surface of the lake, resulting in a collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Big Bend
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96011
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410310N
Event Location Longitude 1215800W
Event Location Airport Iron Canyon Reservoir
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.01
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19905
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2006 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO-Sacramento, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2929C
NTSB Number LAX05CA219
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 180A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 30829
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mike Kleminok
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Paradise
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95969
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Paradise
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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 P40
Departure City Paradise
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Big Bend
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2005 5:20PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 800
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --