Cessna 185 accident near Big Lake, AK
On June 18, 1998, a Cessna 185 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Big Lake, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 18, 1998
- Place
- Big Lake, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 61.459°N, 150.091°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10201
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 17, 1998, about 1810 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N9982X, was destroyed when it impacted wooded terrain approximately five miles south of Big Lake, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company flight plan was filed. The flight departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, for Big Lake, about 1800, after dropping off two passengers. A commercial pilot who was on the shore of the lake where the airplane came to rest, witnessed the accident. He told the NTSB investigator that he saw the airplane northbound about 300 feet above ground level. The witness said that when the airplane reached a position abeam the group of people he was with, it turned toward them and rolled into a right bank which exceeded 90 degrees. The witness said he could see the entire outline and top of the airplane, and estimated the angle of bank to be 120 degrees. The airplane descended, leveled out, and then contacted trees. It came to rest in a lake. The witness described the airplane as reversing direction almost 180 degrees during this descending turn. The witness pilot, and another witness in the same group, both told the NTSB IIC that they heard the engine noise increase during the turn. The engine noise continued until impact. Both witnesses stated it appeared the plane turned toward their group as if to fly past them. None of the persons in the group knew the pilot. PERSONNEL IN
Probable cause
The pilot's performance of a low level maneuver. Factors were the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability, his lack of experience in the type of airplane, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain.
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Browse: Alaska · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
