Cessna 185 accident near Kenai, Alaska, June 14, 1983
On June 14, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N2565Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- June 14, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N2565Z · registry record · serial 185-0565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD AN EXTERNAL LOAD OF PLYWOOD ATTACHED TO ITS FLOATS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT LOST POWER AFTER TAKEOFF. HE MADE A RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARD THE LAKE AND THE ACFT STALLED. THE PILOT WAS RECOVERING FROM THE SPIN WHEN THE FLOATS HIT THE WATER. WITNESSES ALONG THE LAKE SAID THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED SIMILAR OPERATION BEFORE, AND HAD ABORTED ONE TAKEOFF BEFORE THE CRASH. BOTH WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THROUGHOUT THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 3,209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.