Cessna A185F accident near Skwentna, Alaska, July 6, 2009
On July 6, 2009 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4448R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to recognize his proximity to the glassy water landing surface while flying in smoke haze, and his failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2009 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4448R · registry record · serial 18502960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot had a hard landing during a personal flight in a float-equipped airplane under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a written report to the NTSB, the pilot stated, in part: “With the glassy water and the smoke haze I lost my depth perception and hit the water hard.” A postflight examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot wrote in his report that the accident could have been prevented by using the shoreline to determine altitude during landing. He noted that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Glassy › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Haze/smoke › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,974 hours in all; 4,975 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,974 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,409 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2009; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,320 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 10:00 pm
- Destination: Shell Lake AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.50 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.