Cessna 185E accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 31, 2007
On July 31, 2007 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 185E, registered N70020, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was an other work-use 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 loss of engine power during cruise flight due to an improperly repaired airbox.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2007 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185E · all 185Es on the register
- Registration
- N70020 · registry record · serial 18501895
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The float-equipped airplane was being operated by the commercial pilot as a VFR cross-country flight in conjunction with his guiding service. The pilot said that he departed one lake en route to another, and about 20 minutes into the flight, the engine went to idle rpm. He said he pushed the throttle forward, and turned the airplane toward a lake, but the airplane descended into trees short of the lake. The airplane sustained extensive damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the flight. The airplane was examined, and it was found that the support shaft for the throttle and mixture bell cranks was missing, which disconnected the throttle control and allowed the engine to go to idle. The air induction box assembly was examined by the NTSB investigator, and it was discovered that the air box had been repaired with incorrectly substituted parts. The air box (PN 1650012-1) was the correct air box; however, a weld repair had been performed around the shaft support bushings on both sides of the box. The correct solid shaft bushings had been replaced with earlier generation roller bearings. The inappropriate installation did not allow for the support shaft to be properly pinned in place, and did not allow for the redundant safety of the correct installation. The correct parts installation would preclude the support shaft from migrating out of the air box if either shaft end spacer were missing. An examination of the airplane's maintenance log books did not reveal any entries pertaining to the air box repair.
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
- Flight time: 8,980 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,340 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-O24 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Stephan Lake AK at 6:00 pm
- Destination: PALH Lake Hood AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 005° at 170 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N70020 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.