N4471R

On June 8, 1994, at 1415 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N4471R, registered to and operated by Taquan Air of Ketchikan, Alaska, dragged a wing in the water during landing at Kassan Bay located 26 nautical miles Northwest of Ketchikan. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed Ketchikan and the destination was Kassan Bay. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was in effect. The commercially certificated pilot and the passenger were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.

According to the pilot, he was landing the airplane in a crosswind, parallel to the swells. The touchdown was normal and as the pilot reduced the airplane's speed, he began to lose rudder authority. The airplane "weathervaned as it "came off step." As the nose of the airplane pitched up, a normal occurrence, the pilot stated a gust of wind hit the airplane. The downwind wing hit the water. The pilot estimated the winds to be from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots with occasional higher gusts. He estimated the swells to be 1 to 2 feet high.

According to a witness standing on the shore, the wind began to blow hard only a half hour before the airplane arrived and continued to gust while the airplane was making its landing attempt.