Cessna 185F accident near Bethel, Alaska, October 6, 2001
On October 6, 2001 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N9344N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated in the accident were a crosswind, and a worn tailwheel steering horn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2001 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9344N · no longer on the register · serial 18504334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commercial pilot, with the two passengers, was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, paved runway. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that while on approach for landing on runway 18, he encountered wind estimated to be from 230 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot wrote: "Upon contact of the mains, I felt a very hard pull to the right. I then applied left rudder and brake, but this was ineffective in stopping it from coming around to the right." The airplane ultimately ground looped to the right, and the left wing and left elevator struck the edge of the runway. A postaccident disassembly and inspection of the accident airplane's tailwheel assembly revealed that tailwheel steering horn showed signs of wear.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 17, 2001; 137.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Office Of Aircraft Services
The flight
- Departed from: BET Bethel AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.