On October 29, 2002, a Cessna 180 (registration N5355D) was involved in an aviation accident near Larson Bay, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance while landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot's airplane struck a tree branch during final approach, veered left, and collided with trees during an off-airport landing, resulting in substantial damage.
Accident Details
A commercial pilot was landing an airplane at an off-airport site that required an approach over trees. During the final approach phase, the left wing struck a previously unnoticed tree branch. The impact caused the airplane to veer to the left of the intended touchdown point. The pilot attempted to correct the direction by steering to the right, but the airplane touched down to the left of the landing site and subsequently collided with trees.
Damage Assessment
The collision with trees resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, indicating that the event was not caused by a mechanical failure.
Contributing Circumstances
The approach was conducted over trees, and the tree branch that was struck was not observed prior to impact. The pilot's corrective inputs were insufficient to avoid the subsequent collision with trees after touchdown.