N1005F – Cessna 185 – 1997-05-13 NTSB Accident Report

On May 13, 1997, a Cessna 185 (N1005F) was involved in an incident near Cordova, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's decision not to perform a go-around. A factor in the accident was the presence of birds which led the pilot to extend and misjudge his touchdown point.

On May 12, 1997, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N1005F, sustained substantial damage while landing on Eyak Lake, Cordova, Alaska. The private pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight originated at Yakutat, Alaska, and was en route to Cordova. The flight operated in visual meteorological conditions. A visual flight rules flight plan was in effect.

The pilot wrote in his report to the NTSB that he was landing to the west on Eyak Lake. Prior to touchdown, he saw a flock of geese on the lake and lengthened his landing approach to over fly them. When he touched down, he soon realized he would not be able to stop the airplane prior to hitting the shore, and that he had insufficient room to abort the landing.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC97LA071. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1005F.