Cessna 185A accident near Aniak, Alaska, September 14, 1983
On September 14, 1983, a Cessna 185A, registered N1688Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aniak, Alaska (Gravel Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- September 14, 1983
- Place
- Aniak, Alaska · Gravel Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185A · all 185As on the register
- Registration
- N1688Z · registry record · serial 1850488
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF FROM A STRIP NEAR A CAMP SITE. REPORTEDLY, THE STRIP WAS LOCATED ON A HILL (LEVEL BENCH AREA) & WAS ORIENTED GENERALLY IN A NORTH/SOUTH DIRECTION. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 080 DEG AT ABOUT 15 GUSTING 18 KTS. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A ROBERTSON STOL KIT WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, DIMINISHES ITS X-WIND CAPABILITY. HE REPORTED THAT HE LIFTED OFF NEAR THE END OF THE RWY AT APRX 50 TO 55 MPH, THEN ABOUT 300 FROM THE END, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT TOUCHED DOWN ON ROUGH TERRAIN & WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PLT BELIEVED THAT DUE TO THE TERRAIN, THE WIND (BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY) HAD SHIFTED TO A QUARTERING TAILWIND.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 4,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1982; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 750 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BET, 98 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N1688Z 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.