What happened
During an Arctic expedition traveling from Longyearbyen in the Spitzberg Islands toward Barrow, Alaska, an Antonov An-2 was part of a flight involving a second Cessna 185. As part of the mission, the crew of the Cessna 185 performed an initial landing to evaluate the thickness of the ice.
Following this assessment, the Antonov An-2 attempted to land on the same surface. Upon touchdown, the ice began to fracture. The pilot tried to initiate a takeoff to escape the area, but the aircraft's undercarriage broke through the ice layer. The plane eventually came to a stop in a position where it was partially submerged in water. There were no fatalities or injuries among the five occupants on board, though the aircraft was determined to be a total loss due to the extent of the damage.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the unstable ice thickness, which failed under the weight of the aircraft during the landing and subsequent takeoff attempt.