No fatalities

23 Nov 2011: CESSNA A185F — Sheldon Air Service — Talkeetna, AK

Talkeetna, AK, United States

On 23 Nov 2011, a CESSNA A185F operated by Sheldon Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A broken wheel/ski clevis pin, which allowed the ski to pivot upward and strike the right wing lift strut. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that after departing from a snow-covered glacier, the right wheel/ski's clevis pin broke during retraction, causing the ski to pivot upward and strike the right wing lift strut, resulting in substantial damage.

Accident Details

A pilot flying a tailwheel and wheel/ski-equipped airplane departed from a snow-covered glacier. After departure, the pilot retracted the skis in preparation for landing on a paved runway. During the retraction, the right wheel/ski pivoted upward and struck the airplane's right wing lift strut.

Damage and Inspection

Inspection revealed that the ski's right rear clevis pin had broken, which allowed the ski to pivot upward. The right wing lift strut sustained substantial damage and required replacement. The pilot indicated that, aside from the broken clevis pin, there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

Probable Cause

No probable cause was determined.

Contributing factors

Wheel/ski/float — Failure