The pilot reported that at the time of the accident he was practicing a “water ski” maneuver on the open waters of a remote river near Palmer, Alaska, in his tailwheel-equipped Cessna 185.
The water ski maneuver involves the airplane’s main wheels touching the surface of the water while maintaining flying speed.
The pilot added that while maintaining about 90 knots indicated airspeed, with the main landing gear wheels “water-skiing” across the surface of the water, he recognized that there was additional drag being placed on the wheels, and the airspeed began to decay. In response, he added engine power, but the airspeed continued to rapidly decay, and the main wheels subsequently settled into the water, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and engine mounts.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s decision to attempt to ” water ski” atop a remote river in a wheel-equipped airplane, resulting in a loss of control and a nose over.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This May 2020 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.
Life is hard.
It’s harder if you’re stupid.
Play STUPID games ,win STUPID prizes
If he wanted to water ski he should have bought a boat.And not wasted a good airplane.
But…I watched the demo on YouTube…2 or 3 times…
Dumb and a loss of a good aircraft……..What will his insurance company say and do when he attempts to file a claim!
FAR 91.13 will apply, carless and reckless operation!
Never done this but the secret is brakes on so the wheels don’t rotate.
The tires need to hyroplane.
Landing on a slick wet runway and the plane hyroplanes on 1/8 inch. If you hit a dry spot the airplane skids, flat spots the tire and control may be lost.
I may be wrong so get instruction from someone who knows how to do it.
Just because some other FOOL gets away with it doesn’t mean that you will.
Quite right, Mr. Jerry King
A beautiful airplane, an ugly decision.
He needs a Cherokee or a Skyhawk
I think the better solution to excessive drag was to elevate slightly to streamline rather than more power to plow harder.
If you are going to do stupid things you better be tough. Lucky he was not seriously hurt.
It is all fun and games until something goes wrong, or stupid is as stupid does.
244 in this airplane, fat tires but not the big type, didn’t add power, at least plane fixable
Obviously not worthy of owning a 185….