N5209X

On August 29, 2002, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N5209X, sustained substantial damage when the nose gear struck a hole during landing in a remote area about 73 miles southeast of Aniak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot, the owner/operator of Alaska Bush Sports, Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the Hoholitna River Lodge, near Sleetmute, Alaska, about 1330.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 1, 2002, the pilot reported he was landing on tundra-covered terrain to drop off camping supplies. He said he had landed at the site before, which was about 900 feet long by 80 feet wide, and oriented in a southeast/northwest direction. He said he was landing toward the southeast. During the landing roll, the nose wheel dropped into an unseen hole, and the airplane received damage to the nose wheel strut, propeller, engine cowling, and the outboard rib of the right wing.

The pilot reported that the weather conditions included an overcast sky with flat-light conditions, calm wind, and a visibility of five miles in light rain.