Cessna 185F accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, July 29, 1982
On July 29, 1982 at about 8:15 am local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N1453Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska. 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
- July 29, 1982 · about 8:15 am local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1453Q · no longer on the register · serial 18503481
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED MCGRATH, AK AT 2200 ADT ON A FLIGHT TO BEAR CREEK, AK. HE REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER BECAME RAINY AND HAZY, AND HE COULD NOT LAND AT BEAR CREEK DUE TO THE DETERIORATING WEATHER. HE STARTED TO DIVERT BACK TO MCGRATH, BUT LOW CLOUDS PREVENTED FURTHER VFR IN THAT DIRECTION. THEREFORE, HE CIRCLED OVER AN AREA THAT WAS CLEAR, HOPING FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE WEATHER. DUE TO THE WEATHER AND APPROACHING DARKNESS, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A LANDING IN A MEADOW AT LATE DUSK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 1,990 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 591 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mcgrath AK at 10:00 pm
- Destination: Bear Creek AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.