Cessna 185B accident near Flat, Alaska, March 5, 2013
On March 5, 2013 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185B, registered N2550Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Flat, 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 gusting, variable wind conditions during initial climb after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2013 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Flat, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185B · all 185Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2550Z · no longer on the register · serial 185-0550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, just after takeoff from the soft, snow-covered, frozen lake and while making a slight left turn, the airplane’s performance degraded and she could not maintain altitude. Subsequently, the airplane descended at the departure end of the lake, impacted snow-covered terrain, nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot described the wind conditions at the time of the accident as gusts to 20 knots and variable. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical problems or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal 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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Loss of lift during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,700 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 21, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,100 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 3, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Flat AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Iditarod AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 20 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N2550Z 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.