Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area. A factor was the short length of the off-airport site.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot landing the tundra tire equipped airplane on a 600 feet long x 75 feet wide gravel landing area. The pilot stated that the off-airport site was too short to stop, so he attempted to ground loop to the left to avoid running off the end into a drop off. The right wing and right stabilizer contacted the ground.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 30, 1997, at 1950 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N93276, was substantially damaged when its right wing and right horizontal stabilizer contacted terrain at the end of an off-airport landing site, 28 miles northeast of Kotzebue, Alaska, at position 67-35 degrees north latitude, 161-47 west longitude. The commercial certificated pilot and one passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated by Mavrik Aire of Soldotna, Alaska. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a business flight preparing camps for the upcoming hunting season. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was filed with a local lodge owner. During an interview with the NTSB investigator, the pilot stated that he and an employee were landing at the 600 feet long x 75 feet wide site, in calm winds, and were not able to stop before reaching the end. The terrain steeply dropped off at the end of the landing area. The pilot attempted to ground loop the airplane to the left, the airplane tipped up on the right wing, and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground. -