Cessna A185F accident near Denali Park, Alaska, September 13, 2012
On September 13, 2012 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4786Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Denali Park, Alaska (Denali Park Strip airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an electric transmission line during the approach to land because he was distracted by the airplane’s broken and deflected landing ski. Contributing to the accident was the in-flight failure of the right ski connecting bolt and the subsequent ski deflection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2012 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Denali Park, Alaska · Denali Park Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4786Q · registry record · serial 18503556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning from a weather observation flight when the right wheel/ski actuator connecting bolt broke and the ski deflected downward about 90 degrees. The pilot maintained control of the airplane; however, during the descent to the airport he realized that he was descending faster than he anticipated. He increased the airplane’s pitch angle in an effort to climb, but the airplane contacted a power line. The pilot continued to the destination airport and landed after two low passes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that he was aware of the power line, but was so focused on the ski deflection and maintaining control of the airplane that he did not even realize that the airplane had struck it. The failure of the wheel/ski actuator connecting bolt was likely due to the repetitive forces to the skis that typically occur in normal ski operation.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
- Miscellaneous/other during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,332 hours in all; 264 in this make and model; 55 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,024 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 2012; 11 hours since
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Denali Air
The flight
- Departed from: AK06 Denali Park AK at 4:40 pm
- Destination: AK06 Denali Park AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 24, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1. Left Wing | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 2. Right Wheel/ski | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.