On March 12, 1998, a Cessna 185 (registration N21546) was involved in an aviation accident near Mcgrath, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing. Factors associated with the accident are the presence of snow covered terrain, a tree, and the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot lost directional control after landing a wheel/ski airplane on a frozen river when skis became stuck in snow grooves, leading to a tree strike that damaged the left wing.
Accident Narrative
A commercial pilot was flying a wheel/ski equipped airplane. The pilot chose to land on a frozen river. After the landing roll, the pilot applied engine power with the intention of lifting the tail and turning the airplane to face the opposite direction. As the pilot attempted this maneuver, the airplane's skis became stuck in grooves that were present on the snow-covered ice. This caused the pilot to lose directional control. The airplane then deviated from its intended path and the left wing struck a tree on the riverbank. The impact caused substantial damage to the leading edge of the wing. According to the pilot, the wind was calm at the time of the accident. The accident sequence is based entirely on the pilot's account.