The pilot reported that while landing the tricycle-geared Cessna U206 on a remote beach in Cordova, Alaska, he “landed a little hard, but not too hard.”
Following touchdown, the right main landing separated at the axle, the right wing hit the ground, and the left main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer hit the ground and sustained substantial damage.
The FAA has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004), which discusses soft-field landings and states in part: “Landing on fields that are rough or have soft surfaces, such as snow, sand, mud, or tall grass, requires unique procedures. When landing on such surfaces, the objective is to touch down as smoothly as possible, and at the slowest possible landing speed. The pilot must control the airplane in a manner that the wings support the weight of the airplane as long as practical, to minimize drag and stresses imposed on the landing gear by the rough or soft surface.”
Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent landing gear separation and collapse.
NTSB Identification: ANC16CA049
This July 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
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