Event ANC97LA071

Factual narrative

On May 12, 1997, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N1005F, sustained substantial damage while landing on Eyak Lake, Cordova, Alaska. The private pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight originated at Yakutat, Alaska, and was en route to Cordova. The flight operated in visual meteorological conditions. A visual flight rules flight plan was in effect. The pilot wrote in his report to the NTSB that he was landing to the west on Eyak Lake. Prior to touchdown, he saw a flock of geese on the lake and lengthened his landing approach to over fly them. When he touched down, he soon realized he would not be able to stop the airplane prior to hitting the shore, and that he had insufficient room to abort the landing. The airplane continued toward the shoreline, ran up on the bank, and struck a tree with the left wing and float. The left wing sustained substantial damage. In the section of the NTSB Report titled "Recommendation (How Could This Accident Been Prevented)", the pilot wrote: "... Should have made a go-around... miscalculated." The pilot was attempting to land his float equipped airplane on a lake when he saw a flock of geese near his intended touchdown point. He elected to lengthen his landing approach and fly over the geese. Soon after touchdown, he realized he would not be able to stop the airplane prior to the shoreline, and that he had insufficient room to abort the landing. The airplane ran up on the shore and struck a tree. The pilot reported that he should have performed a go-around. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12