Cessna A185 accident near Aniak, Alaska, August 18, 2017
On August 18, 2017 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna A185, registered N92DC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aniak, Alaska (Aniak airport). It was a business 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect a crack in the propeller blade, which led to the separation of a section of a propeller blade due to fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2017 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aniak, Alaska · Aniak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185 F, built 1975 · all A185s on the register
- Registration
- N92DC · registry record · serial 18502828
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/operator was taxiing the airplane for takeoff. While the airplane was moving about 15 mph and about 2,700 rpm, a blade from the metal two-blade propeller separated. After the separation, the pilot maintained control of the airplane and shut down the airplane. The engine mount sustained substantial damage from excessive vibrations caused by the propeller blade separation. An examination of the fractured propeller blade revealed that it had failed due to fatigue cracking that had initiated from a nick in the leading edge. Measurement of the nick revealed it was within tolerance for a field repair although a field repair had not been performed. The airplane was frequently used at unpaved runways and airstrips in remote locations. It is likely a nick was sustained on the propeller during the backcountry operations; however, it could not be determined when that nick occurred or when the fatigue crack was initiated. The airplane manufacturer owner's manual indicates that the propeller should be checked for nicks during the preflight inspection. It is likely the pilot/operator did not adequately inspect the propeller during the preflight inspection. Had an adequate inspection been completed, the nick likely would have been identified and could have been field repaired.
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
- 100050 during abrupt maneuver
- 250340 during loss of control - in flight
- 250338 during loss of control - in flight
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller blade section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller blade section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, glider
- Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 5,200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 22, 2017
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,193.6 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, July 13, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 Series (piston); 4,842 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: ANI Aniak AK
- Destination: Aniak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; scattered at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 50°C, dew point 45°C
- Altimeter: 29.700001 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PANI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N92DC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC17LA052.