Cessna 185F N94204

Summary

On 22 June 2006 at about 02:35 local time, a Cessna 185F registered N94204 was involved in an accident near Bettles, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 June 2006 at 02:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Bettles, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

VOR Lake Waterlane Seaplane (2A4)

Coordinates

66.8892, -151.4847

Aircraft

Cessna 185F

Registration

N94204

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bettles → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA074

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were the inadvertent stall, and an unfavorable wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger were departing to the south from a seaplane base in a float-equipped airplane, under Title 14, CFR part 91. Winds were reported to be 230 degrees (true) at 8 knots, with gusts to 14 knots. A witness who saw the airplane begin the takeoff run said that as the airplane continued its takeoff run towards the south, it "staggered into the air near the south end of the lake, then turned east, away from an area of slight rising terrain, and downwind." She said that the nose of the airplane then pitched sharply to the right, then to the left, and descended nose first, behind several trees. Postaccident investigation revealed that the airplane came to rest nose down in swampy terrain. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe, engine, or engine accessories. The pilot noted in his written statement to the NTSB that just after takeoff, he began a slight turn to the east to avoid the rising terrain, and encountered a decreasing windshear. He said that the airplane stalled, and crashed at a point between the waterline and the trees. He stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted that he believed the four-point seat and shoulder harness restraint system in the airplane saved their lives.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.