Accident Cessna 185C N725, Wednesday 12 July 1995

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Date:	Wednesday 12 July 1995
Time:	11:00 LT
Type:	Cessna 185C
Owner/operator:	U.s. Dept. Of The Interior
Registration:	N725
MSN:	1850737
Year of manufacture:	1964
Total airframe hrs:	8307 hours
Engine model:	Continental IO-520D
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Bettles, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Bettles, AK (BTT)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED TWO PREVIOUS GLASSY WATER LANDINGS ON THE LAKE. ON HIS THIRD LANDING, HE MISJUDGED HIS HEIGHT ABOVE THE WATER AND PREMATURELY REDUCED POWER. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED ABRUPTLY AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE ENSUING HARD LANDING.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE HEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE WATER DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT RATE AT TOUCHDOWN.

Accident investigation: