On June 8, 1994, a Cessna 185 (registration N4471R) operated by Taquan Air was involved in an aviation accident near Kassan Bay, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions, resulting in the left wing striking the water. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A light aircraft landed parallel to ocean swells and weathervaned into the wind, causing the left wing to strike the water during gusty conditions.
What happened
The pilot executed a landing on a beach surface, aligning the aircraft parallel to the direction of the ocean swells. As the airplane decelerated after touchdown, it weathervaned into the wind due to crosswind effects. According to the pilot's account, a gust of wind impacted the aircraft during this phase. The impact caused the left wing, which was the downwind side, to strike the water surface.
Findings
Environmental conditions played a significant role in the incident. The ocean swells were estimated to be between 1 and 2 feet in height. Wind conditions were from the southeast at 10 knots with gusts reaching up to 20 knots.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions, resulting in the left wing striking the water.
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