ANC02LA056

Factual narrative

On June 21, 2002, about 2030 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 185 airplane, N9378H, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing at Bold airstrip, about 18 miles east of Chugiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Iliamnia airport, Iliamnia, Alaska, about 1900. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 24, the pilot said he was making a landing toward the east on the 1,000 feet long runway at Bold airstrip when the accident occurred. He said on final approach he felt his airspeed, 80 to 90 knots, was a little too fast, and that he might have had a tailwind. He said the airplane touched down about halfway down the runway, and he immediately applied the brakes. He said the brakes locked-up, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane came to rest upside down near the center of the airstrip. The airplane sustained damage to the wings, fuselage, and tail. After the airplane was recovered from the accident site, the pilot related to the NTSB IIC during a telephone conversation that his mechanic did not find any evidence of a preaccident malfunction of the airplane's brake system. The pilot of the accident airplane made a straight-in approach to the 1,000 feet long airstrip. The pilot said he thought his ground speed felt a little fast, and that he thought he might have landed with a tailwind. He said the airplane touched down about halfway down the runway. He said when the main wheels touched he applied the brakes, the wheels locked-up, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane came to rest upside down near the center of the airstrip. A postaccident inspection by the pilot's mechanic disclosed no anomalies with the brakes. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12