Skwentna, AK, USA
N185CQ
Cessna 185
The airline transport certificated pilot was landing on a snow-covered site. The pilot said that during the landing roll, the main landing gear tires contacted deep wet snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings and rudder. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
On October 29, 2004, about 1430 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N185CQ, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at a remote off-airport site, located about 9 miles northwest of Skwentna, 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 airline transport certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Airstrip, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1330. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on November 8, the pilot reported that he was landing on a snow-covered site. He said that during the landing roll, the main landing gear tires contacted deep wet snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings and rudder. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in a nose over during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was deep wet snow.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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