Airplane Veers Abruptly To The Left, And The Right Wing Strikes The Water...

Location: Anchorage, AK Accident Number: ANC20LA065
Date & Time: 07/05/2020, 1130 AKD Registration: N9185T
Aircraft: Cessna 180 Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On July 5, 2020, about 1130 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180C airplane, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at Lake Hood Airport (PALH), Anchorage, Alaska. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, at the time of the accident, they were returning from a remote lake to PALH in their float-equipped airplane. The pilot stated that the departure from the remote lake was normal, with about 10 to 12 mph of wind on the lake creating a light chop on the water's surface, and no object was struck during the takeoff and departure. After a normal approach to PALH and just after touchdown the left float dug into the water and the airplane veered abruptly to the left, and it subsequently nosed over and began to sink. He stated that he and his passenger were able to quickly exit the partially submerged, sinking wreckage.

An airport security camera captured the accident sequence, revealing that shortly after the airplane's floats touched down on the water surface, a large water column sprays outboard of the left float, just forward of the float's step. The airplane then veers abruptly to the left, and the right wing strikes the water, and then it veers sharply to the right, followed by another veer to the left, before it violently nosed over and began to sink.

An initial postaccident examination of the left float revealed a large hole in the bottom of the float just forward of the step. (see figure 1). Corrosion was present around the hole and no impact signatures were present on the bottom of the float.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov