On September 23, 1991, a Cessna A185F (registration N21753) operated by William H. Woodin was involved in an aviation accident near Koliganek, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and altitude during takeoff due to changing wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent impact with the ground. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot lost altitude shortly after liftoff from a lake due to shifting winds, forcing an emergency maneuver that resulted in the aircraft nosing over near the shore.
What happened
The incident occurred during the initial climb phase of a flight originating from a body of water. Shortly after the aircraft became airborne, the pilot encountered unstable wind conditions that caused the airplane to lose altitude and settle back toward the surface. Recognizing the limited space available on the lake for a safe stopping maneuver, the pilot executed an abrupt pull-up to gain enough height to clear a shoreline obstacle estimated at four to six feet in elevation.
Following this emergency maneuver, the aircraft descended onto the adjacent land. It came to rest approximately 40 yards from the water's edge, having nosed over during the final stages of the landing attempt.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and altitude during takeoff due to changing wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent impact with the ground.
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