Cessna 185 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, August 4, 2023
On August 4, 2023 at about 6:01 pm local time, a 1961 Cessna 185, registered N9855X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Iliamna, 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger’s inadvertent application of brakes during landing that resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2023 · about 6:01 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185, built 1961 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9855X · registry record · serial 1850055
- 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 before landing at a remote tundra airstrip, he put his heels on the floor with his toes off the brake portion of the rudder pedals. Shortly after touching down, the front seat passenger inadvertently applied pressure to the brake pedals, and the airplane suddenly and violently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, nor did he brief his passenger on the risk of interfering with the brake pedals.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,064 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 981 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 6, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,158.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2023; 75.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 8,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAKN King Salmon AK at 6:01 pm
- Destination: PFKK Kokhanok AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 am from PAKN, 49 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAKN 041754Z 15012G19KT 10SM OVC048 15/08 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP201 T01500083 10150 20128 55001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N9855X 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 ANC23LA059.