Curtiss C-46R accident near Nulato, Alaska, March 14, 1985
On March 14, 1985 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Curtiss C-46R, registered N7848B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nulato, Alaska (Nulato airport). It was a business 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1985 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Nulato, Alaska · Nulato · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss C-46R
- Registration
- N7848B · registry record · serial 273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY AND CONTACTED A SNOW BERM DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE PLT REPORTED THE RWY BRAKING ACTION AS POOR.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,700 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1985; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 49,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800/97 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,000 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N7848B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC85LA057.