Cessna 185 accident near Near Skwentna, Alaska, August 16, 1982
On August 16, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N79SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Skwentna, Alaska (Narrow River airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Skwentna, Alaska · Narrow River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N79SC · registry record · serial 185246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE FLOAT PLANE BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF FROM A NARROW RIVER WITH A LEFT TURN AT THE LIFT-OFF POINT. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE AND WHILE TURNING, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A BRANCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE TREES, UPSIDE DOWN. ALSO, HE SUGGESTED THAT HE WAS A BIT OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM THE TAKEOFF IN THAT AIRCRAFT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,515 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Near Skwentna AK
- Destination: Talachulitna Ri AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N79SC 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.