No fatalities

Hard Landing on Uphill Grass Strip Leads to Wing Strike and Aborted Landing

Skwentna, AK, United States

On October 23, 2015, a CESSNA 182J operated by CHESTER RAY HORNUNG was involved in an aviation accident near Skwentna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airplane landed hard due to the uphill slope of the grass strip. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported a hard landing on an uphill grass strip, causing the airplane to porpoise and veer left, striking a tree branch. The landing was aborted, and the airplane landed safely at another airport. Postflight inspection revealed substantial damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during landing on a grass strip, the airplane touched down hard due to the uphill slope of the surface. The impact caused the airplane to porpoise and veer to the left. Subsequently, the left wing struck a tree branch. The pilot immediately aborted the landing, departed the area, and safely landed at another airport without further incident.

Damage Assessment

A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, floor boards underneath the rudder pedals, and the firewall. Structural integrity was compromised in these areas, necessitating repairs.

Mechanical Status

The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The aircraft was otherwise functioning normally before the event.

Probable cause

The airplane landed hard due to the uphill slope of the grass strip.

Contributing factors

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintained