KAHILTNA GLAC, AK, USA
N1047F
CESSNA 185F
DURING A VFR FINAL APPROACH TO A GLACIER THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LOW FOG BANK. THE PILOT STATED, 'ON SHORT FINAL WITH FULL FLAPS AND A LOADED AIRCRAFT LANDING AT THIS LOCATION, A GO AROUND IS IMPOSSIBLE, I WAS COMMITTED TO LAND. UPON DESCENDING FURTHER I FOUND MYSELF IN A GROUND FOG AND LOST GROUND CONTACT....THE LANDING WAS HARD AND ON A STEEPER PART OF THE GLACIER IN DEEP SNOW AND TO THE LEFT OF THE USUAL TOUCHDOWN POINT.' ON LANDING THE GEAR BOXES BROKE, THE RIGHT SKI CAME OFF AND COLLIDED WITH THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND THE PROPELLER CAME OFF THE ENGINE.
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO COMMIT HIMSELF TO A LANDING BEFORE COMPLETING AN EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING SITE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOWBANK OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WITH WHICH THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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