Cessna A185F accident near Skwentna, Alaska, March 28, 2026
On March 28, 2026 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna A185F, registered N94237, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Skwentna, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing roll due to contact with wind hardened snow berm and subsequent failure of main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2026 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F, built 1977 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N94237 · registry record · serial 18503294
- 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 he was landing the wheel ski-equipped airplane on a remote snow-covered lake, shortly after touchdown he said the nose of the airplane began to yaw to the right. As the airplane was about 90° into the right turn the pilot heard a loud bang behind and to his right. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear axle had sheared off the gear leg and that the forward right bungee and cabled became disconnected which allowed the ski to impact the top of the right wing which resulted in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. The pilot said he found a wind hardened snow berm that he believed the right ski impacted on landing which caused the right axle bolts to shear from the gear leg. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 875 hours in all; 375 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 2, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,785 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAWS Wasilla AK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Private Strip AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point -2°F (-19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from ATK, 50 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PATK 281853Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M11/M19 A3032 RMK AO2 SLP276 T11061194 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N94237 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 ANC26LA022.