Cessna A185F accident near Nyac, Alaska, January 21, 1983
On January 21, 1983, a Cessna A185F, registered N61764, was destroyed in an accident near Nyac, Alaska (Nyac airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 21, 1983
- Place
- Nyac, Alaska · Nyac
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N61764 · registry record · serial 18504252
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER COLLIDING WITH A TREE NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT NYAC, AK. THE PILOT HAD TRIED THIS FLIGHT FROM ANIAK TO NYAC THE DAY BEFORE AND HAD RETURNED TO ANIAK BECAUSE OF WEATHER. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS SNOWING AND BLOWING WITH WINDS OF 40 GUSTING TO 60 MPH OR HIGHER ACCORDING TO A RESIDENT OF NYAC. ANOTHER WITNESS SAID THE VISIBILITY WAS BELOW ONE HALF MILE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 25 DECREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AFTER THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A SPRUCE TREE 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER. AFTER GROUND IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND TRAVELED ABOUT 250 FEET BEFORE STOPPING. AIRCRAFT PARTS WERE SCATTERED FROM THE INITIAL GROUND CONTACT POINT TO THE FINAL STOPPING POINT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A FIRE ERUPTED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 366 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1982; 222 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ANI Aniak AK at 2:19 pm
- Destination: ZNC Nyac AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 135° at 50 knots, gusting 60
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.