N8191Q

On April 8, 1994, at 1100 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski equipped Cessna A185F airplane, N8191Q, operated by Gulkana Air Service, collided with a snow berm during takeoff from the Broxson Creek private landing strip located about 20 miles west of Gulkana, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot-in-command, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The intended destination for the 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was Gulkana, Alaska. The pilot reported that visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident and a flight plan was on file with the Gulkana Flight Service Station.

On the afternoon of April 8, 1994, the NTSB investigator- in-charge conducted a telephone interview with the pilot. The pilot said that the flight was being conducted to check on miners located near Broxon Creek. During the takeoff from the strip, the left main landing gear support strut assembly was ripped from its fuselage attachment fitting causing substantial damage to the landing gear box frame. The flight diverted to and performed a landing on the frozen surface of Lake Louise with out further incident.