Cessna A185E accident near Shulin Lake, Alaska, October 20, 1984
On October 20, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N70018, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shulin Lake, Alaska. 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
- October 20, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shulin Lake, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N70018 · no longer on the register · serial 18501893
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A WATER LANDING. THIS ACFT HAD WHEELS IN THE FLOATS AND ONE OF THE WHEELS WAS NOT RETRACTED FOR THE WATER LANDING. THESE GEAR ARE HAND RETRACTED BY THE PLT. THE PLT SAID HE CHECKED VISUALLY TO INSURE THE LEFT GEAR WAS UP BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE RIGHT. TO DO SO ONE MUST UNDO SAFETY BELT AND LOOK OUT THE RIGHT SIDE. GEAR INDICATORS UNRELIABLE IF LANDINGS MADE IN SALT WATER. A MIRROR IS PROVIDED BUT HARD TO READ FOR VISUAL CHECK FROM LEFT SEAT.
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: 256 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 169 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1984; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK
- Destination: Shulin Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm
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 N70018 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.