Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing on a remote beach. During the landing roll, the nosewheel encountered soft sand. The nosewheel broke off the front landing gear strut, and the left wing struck the sand. The airplane received damage to the left wing rear spar.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 18, 1997, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna TU-206A, N230B, crashed during landing on a remote area of beach, about 25 miles east of Yakutat, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Yakutat airport, about 1330. On May 19, 1997, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), that he was landing on a beach in the Akwe River area. During the landing roll, the nose wheel encountered soft sand. The nose wheel broke off the front landing gear strut, and the left wing struck the sand. On June 2, 1997, the pilot reported that a subsequent inspection of the airplane revealed the left wing rear spar was bent at the inboard attach point. -