N4563B

On September 26, 1999, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180 airplane, N4563B, sustained substantial damage during landing at an off airport landing site about 32 miles south-southeast of Pilot Point, Alaska, at 57 degrees 02 minutes north latitude, 157 degrees 33 minutes west longitude. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a business flight in support of the pilot's hunting lodge. The flight departed the pilot's main camp on Pumice Creek, Alaska, about 1455, to pick up clients who had been dropped off earlier in the day. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 29, the pilot stated that he was landing on an approximate 1,000 feet long volcanic cinder area. He described the visibility as unlimited, the winds at five knots, and said there was light rain on the windshield. The airplane was in the landing flare when the left main landing gear contacted a two feet high tundra hummock. He said that when the main wheels touched down, the left landing gear leg collapsed. The left elevator, and left aileron sustained substantial damage. He told the IIC that he had landed in the same location numerous times, and during this landing misjudged the touchdown point.