Narrative:

Engine stopped suddenly while in cruise over the ruth glacier. Aircraft was a ski equipped cessna 185 on a sight-seeing flight. On the previous day I landed on a glacier and had 1 ski sink in soft snow while taxiing. The right wingtip went into the snow. Also the propeller went into the snow and stopped the engine. It now appears that the crankshaft broke because of the propeller hitting the snow. I didn't report the propeller incident to the mechanic because I didn't perceive it as significant as a possible source of damage. The reason for the faulty judgement is that I have seen other incidents where much more damage was done (ie, bent propellers) where repairs were not necessary. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the engine failure was a broken crankshaft caused by sudden engine stoppage. The reporter said on the previous day's flight to the glacier a ski sunk in soft snow on landing and the right wingtip dug in the snow and the propeller went into the snow and stopped the engine. The reporter said the incident was not reported and did not feel it was required. The reporter stated the FAA has investigated the incident but has not been contacted for a statement. The reporter said the aircraft was removed from the glacier by helicopter and the engine replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 185 IN CRUISE AT 7000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO ENG FAILURE CAUSED BY A BROKEN UNRPTED DAMAGED CRANKSHAFT.

Narrative: ENG STOPPED SUDDENLY WHILE IN CRUISE OVER THE RUTH GLACIER. ACFT WAS A SKI EQUIPPED CESSNA 185 ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLT. ON THE PREVIOUS DAY I LANDED ON A GLACIER AND HAD 1 SKI SINK IN SOFT SNOW WHILE TAXIING. THE R WINGTIP WENT INTO THE SNOW. ALSO THE PROP WENT INTO THE SNOW AND STOPPED THE ENG. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE BECAUSE OF THE PROP HITTING THE SNOW. I DIDN'T RPT THE PROP INCIDENT TO THE MECH BECAUSE I DIDN'T PERCEIVE IT AS SIGNIFICANT AS A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF DAMAGE. THE REASON FOR THE FAULTY JUDGEMENT IS THAT I HAVE SEEN OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE MUCH MORE DAMAGE WAS DONE (IE, BENT PROPS) WHERE REPAIRS WERE NOT NECESSARY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE WAS A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT CAUSED BY SUDDEN ENG STOPPAGE. THE RPTR SAID ON THE PREVIOUS DAY'S FLT TO THE GLACIER A SKI SUNK IN SOFT SNOW ON LNDG AND THE R WINGTIP DUG IN THE SNOW AND THE PROP WENT INTO THE SNOW AND STOPPED THE ENG. THE RPTR SAID THE INCIDENT WAS NOT RPTED AND DID NOT FEEL IT WAS REQUIRED. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT BUT HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED FOR A STATEMENT. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GLACIER BY HELI AND THE ENG REPLACED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.