Cessna 185 accident near Togiak, Alaska, January 6, 1983
On January 6, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N4924E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Togiak, Alaska (Togiak airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 6, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Togiak, Alaska · Togiak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N4924E · registry record · serial 18503909
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE WAS ASSISTED BY A WING WALKER WHILE TAXIING TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION. THE WIND HAD BEEN INCREASING STEADILY DURING HIS STOP & IT CHANGED DIRECTION AS HE ARRIVED AT THE TAKEOFF POSITION. AS HE TURNED THE ACFT INTO POSITION ON RWY 27, THE RIGHT WING RAISED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE PLT ADDED POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE SITUATION & TAKEOFF; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE ACFT. IT TIPPED ONTO THE LEFT WING, STRUCK A DIRT BANK, THEN CARTWHEELED & CAME TO REST ON ITS LANDING GEAR ABOUT 200 FT FROM WHERE THE OCCURRENCE BEGAN. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD THE PASSENGER FASTEN HER SINGLE STRAP SHOULDER HARNESS PRIOR TO TAXIING. HOWEVER, AS THEY REACHED THE TAKEOFF POINT, SHE HAD REMOVED IT, COMPLANING THAT IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. WHEN THE PLANE BEGAN TO ROLL, THE PLT TRIED TO PROTECT HER & SLID FROM UNDER HIS OWN SHOULDER HARNESS. HE FELT THAT IF SHE HAD KEPT HER SHOULDER HARNESS ON, NEITHER OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. HE REPORTED THE WIND WAS VARIABLE 230 TO 290 DEG AT 35 GUSTING 55 KTS.
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: 8,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 1983; 40 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: DLG Dillingham
- Runway 27, 987 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 35 knots, gusting 55
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°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.
Other NTSB records under N4924E 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.