Cessna A185F accident near Soldotna, AK
On June 5, 1999, a Cessna A185F (airplane) was involved in an accident near Soldotna, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 5, 1999
- Place
- Soldotna, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 60.319°N, 150.789°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X18905
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 5, 1999, at 1035 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna A185F float equipped airplane, N61609, sustained substantial damage during landing on Longmare Lake, about four miles east of Soldotna, Alaska. The private pilot was fatally injured. The three passengers on board were not injured. The business flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 to a friend's house on Longmare Lake. The flight departed from the pilot's home on Campbell Lake, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1000. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The three passengers, and two witnesses who observed the accident from the shoreline, were interviewed by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) at the scene on June 5, about 1330. All five persons said the airplane landed in a northerly direction, into a left-quartering headwind of about 10 knots, with light chop on the water surface. The witnesses said the airplane landed hard on the left float, and bounced into the air. The airplane then landed on the right float, the right wingtip contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane came to rest with the left wing submerged and the right wing pointing into the air. The passengers stated that after the airplane came to rest, they released their seatbelts, and escaped through the right side door. They said the pilot remained in his seat, and commented to the passengers that he could not find the buckle to release his seatbelt. They related that the airplane cabin slowly filled with water, sank nose down, and rolled left. Both th
Probable cause
The improper recovery from a bounced water landing by the pilot. Factors associated with this accident were the pilot's failure to release his seatbelt due to the obstructed location of the pilot's seatbelt buckle.
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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.
