Cessna C-185 accident near Naknek, Alaska, December 23, 1983
On December 23, 1983 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Cessna C-185, registered N1296F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naknek, Alaska (Naknek airport). 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
- December 23, 1983 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Naknek, Alaska · Naknek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-185
- Registration
- N1296F · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF. THE PLT SAID THAT DURING TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 10 FT AGL IT FELT AS THOUGH THE FLTCONTROLS WERE NOT RESPONDING. THE ACFT STALLED AND HIT THE RUNWAY. THE PLT SUSPECTED THE CONTROLS HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH, BUT WHEN THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR TAMPERING WAS FOUND. SEVERAL WITNESSES NOTICED FROST ON THE WINGS OF THE ACFT WITH ONE WITNESSES STATING THAT THERE WAS 'TOO MUCH FROST FOR ANY 185 TO FLY WITH.'
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: 3,534 hours in all; 1,244 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,554 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1983; 153 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Ugashik Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N1296F 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.