Cessna C-185F accident near Nome, Alaska, April 21, 1983
On April 21, 1983 at about 1:38 am local time, a Cessna C-185F, registered N4757E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nome, Alaska (Granite airport). It was a business 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
- April 21, 1983 · about 1:38 am local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · Granite · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-185F
- Registration
- N4757E · registry record · serial 18503863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AT LOW ALTITUDE AND CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT 'DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE LEFTSKI STUCK IN THE SNOW AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. INSTEAD OF STOPPING, I CONTINUED ON'. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE SKI HAD STUCK IN THE SNOW SEVERAL OTHER TIMES AND GROUND PERSONNEL USUALLY HELPED HIM PIVOT THE ACFT BACK IN THE DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF. THIS TIME, GROUND PERSONNEL DID NOT PARTICIPATE DUE TO THE LATE HOUR AND THE LONG DISTANCE TO THE ACFT. THE PILOT AFTER PIVOTING HIT A COUPLE OF SNOWDRIFTS BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD REACHEDA MAXIMUM ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 FEET AT WHICH TIME THE WING STOPPED FLYING, THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT AND CRASHED. THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST AT 10 KTS, GUSTING TO 15 KTS. THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF TO THE SOUTH BEFORE THE 45 DEGREE PIVOT TO THE LEFT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,730 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,440 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1982; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Granite Mount. AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°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.