TALKEETNA, AK, USA
N1047F
CESSNA 185
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED ON PACKED SNOW, BUT ENCOUNTERED STICKY SNOW AT THE END OF THE LANDING SITE ON THE KAHILTNA GLACIER. THE LEFT SKI CAUGHT IN THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. HE STATED THAT OTHER AIRPLANES OF THE SAME TYPE AND LOADING WERE TAKING OFF FROM THE SAME LOCATION ALL DAY. HE BELIEVED THE SNOW TURNED STICKY DUE TO TEMPERATURE INCREASE.
On May 25, 1995, about 1848 hours Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski equipped Cessna A185F, N1047F, crashed during takeoff from a remote landing site in Denali National Park, about 50 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country on-demand passenger flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by Doug Geeting Aviation, Talkeetna, Alaska, received substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The takeoff was the beginning of the return portion of the flight that departed Talkeetna about 1715. The National Park Service reported that the flight was departing a landing site located at the 7,000 feet level of the Kahiltna Glacier. The purpose of the flight was to transport climbers from the Mount McKinley base camp. The airplane was departing downhill from an area that had been packed down by other aircraft. Recent heavy snows had deposited about 6 feet of new snow on the glacier. During the takeoff roll, the accident airplane encountered an area of soft snow and nosed over.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE SNOW CONDITIONS AT THE SITE. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT IS THE SOFT SNOW IN THE TAKEOFF AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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