IGIUGIG, AK, USA
N2743J
Cessna 185E
The pilot and three passengers were returning to the pilot's remote area fishing lodge in a float equipped airplane. The pilot flew over the lodge about 200 feet above the ground to alert occupants of the lodge of the airplane's arrival. A witness observed the airplane in a right turn toward the river area, where the pilot intended to land and taxi to a lodge boat dock. During the turn, the nose of the airplane suddenly dropped toward the ground. The airplane then descended out of the witnesses view, behind several trees. The pilot did not remember the accident. The front seat passenger could not remember the crash, but did remember feeling pushed downward into the airplane's seat during the turn. Following recovery of the airplane, an examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction.
On August 26, 1997, about 2210 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N2743J, collided with terrain while maneuvering for landing on a remote river, about five miles south of Igiugig, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to Kraft Adventures Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, was destroyed. The certificated private pilot and two passengers received serious injuries. One passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot sustained serious head trauma. He reported he did not remember the accident. A witness on the ground, reported the airplane flew at a low altitude over the pilot's fishing lodge, located on the Kvichak River lodge, and then made a climbing right turn back toward the river area. This maneuver was described as a normal type of event in which the pilot could alert the occupants of the lodge of the airplane's arrival. The pilot would then land on the river and taxi to the lodge boat dock. The witness indicated the airplane began the turn about 200 feet above the ground. During the turn, the nose of the airplane suddenly dropped toward the ground. The airplane then descended, out of view, behind several trees. The front seat passenger reported that all the occupants of the airplane worked at the pilot's fishing lodge, located on the Kvichak River. The flight originated from the Big River area where the flight departed about 1 hour before the accident. The flight was returning to the lodge after a day of fishing. The front seat passenger reported he did not remember the crash, but did remember feeling pushed downward into the airplane's seat during the turn. Alaska State Troopers traveled to the accident scene by float plane. They reported the airplane's float assemblies struck the ground first, in an area of open ground. The airplane came to rest about 15 yards beyond the point of ground contact. The engine was torn off the airplane. Several guests of nearby fishing lodges responded to the accident scene, including two visiting doctors and a nurse. The occupants of the airplane were transported by boat to Igiugig, and then transported to Anchorage for medical care. Following recovery of the airplane, the engine was examined in Anchorage, Alaska, on October 6, 1997, by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). The examination revealed engine gear, and valve train continuity. Thumb compression was noted in each cylinder upon hand rotation of the crankshaft. The bottom, massive electrode spark plugs, exhibited a dry, gray appearance. The exhaust tubes were crushed, and folded upward against the bottom of the engine. The edges of the folded metal tubes exhibited sharp creases without breaks. The engine fuel pump rotated upon hand rotation, and the drive shear pin was intact. The examination of the engine did not discover any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The propeller assembly separated from the crankshaft. Both propeller blades were retained in the hub, but were free to rotate within the hub. One propeller blade exhibited a slight forward bend, about 6 inches inboard from the tip, with forward curling of the trailing edge of the tip. The leading edge of the propeller exhibited leading gouging, torsional twisting, leading edge scratching, and "S" bending. The second propeller blade exhibited leading edge gouging, torsional twisting, and chordwise scratching. The blade was bent forward about 60 degrees, about 12 inches inboard from the tip.
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, during a maneuvering turn at low altitude, which resulted in an accelerated stall and subsequent collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of altitude to recover from the stall.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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