Cessna 185 accident near Cantwell, Alaska, May 10, 2007
On May 10, 2007 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N9832X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 during takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a descent into high vegetation, and a nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and a downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2007 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2007
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9832X · registry record · serial 1850032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote cabin airstrip on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross country personal flight. The tundra and rock covered airstrip was oriented northeast/southwest, and was about 800 feet long and about 20 feet wide. The pilot departed toward and southwest, and lifted off with 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot said that at an altitude of about 10 feet, the airplane encountered a downdraft, which forced the airplane downward into high brush and a tree, about 200 feet beyond the end of the airstrip. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and empennage when it nosed over. The pilot said that convective activity and turbulence associated with thunderstorms was in the vicinity, with light rain showers in the area.
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: 7,100 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cantwell AK
- Destination: PAGK Glennallen AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9832X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 185 Skywagon 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D 36 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gulkana Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC07CA033.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.