Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skwentna, Alaska 99667
Sunday, December 23, 2007 14:35 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of a wheel/ski-equipped airplane said that after landing on a frozen lake and while taxiing to parking, the airplane's right wheel/ski struck an area of crusty, ice-covered snow, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot said that the airplane subsequently nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and noted that his excessive taxi speed may have contributed to the landing gear collapse.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for taxi. Contributing to the accident were rough and uneven terrain, and an excessive taxispeed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/23/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Skwentna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99667
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 615700N
Event Location Longitude 1511148W
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 --
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 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23984
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N572E
NTSB Number ANC08LA029
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 18502089
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60.8
Airframe Hours 4818.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James M. Eule
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Eagle River
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99577
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 Z41
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Skwentna
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 23 2008 2:16PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --