Summary
On June 12, 1993, a Cessna 185 (N8536L) was involved in an incident near Arctic Village, AK. All 3 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 SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/THIN (WEAK) ICE CONDITION OF THE LAKE SURFACE.
On June 12, 1993, at 0930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N8536L, owned and operated by the pilot in command, sank through the ice on Porcupine Lake during the landing rollout. The accident site is approximately 97 nautical miles southeast of Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay), Alaska. The pilot and the two passengers on board were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Shader Lake earlier that same morning under the general aviation flight rules of 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of a day fishing trip when the accident occurred.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC93LA088. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8536L.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/THIN (WEAK) ICE CONDITION OF THE LAKE SURFACE.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 12, 1993, at 0930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N8536L, owned and operated by the pilot in command, sank through the ice on Porcupine Lake during the landing rollout. The accident site is approximately 97 nautical miles southeast of Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay), Alaska. The pilot and the two passengers on board were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Shader Lake earlier that same morning under the general aviation flight rules of 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of a day fishing trip when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed with the Barrow Flight Service Station.
During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator in charge on the morning of June 13, 1993, the pilot reported that he made several low passes over the lake to check the condition of the ice and that on one of the passes he bounced one of the main landing gear tires on the ice. During the last 100 feet of the landing rollout, the main landing gear tires began to cut a groove in the ice and the airplane began to sink. The pilot estimated the airplane was submerged in approximately 30 feet of water.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC93LA088