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."