Cessna C-207 accident near Mountain Villag, Alaska, August 12, 1985
On August 12, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna C-207, registered N9480M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mountain Villag, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 12, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Villag, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-207
- Registration
- N9480M · no longer on the register · serial 20700696
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS AWARE OF THE WEATHER HE WAS OPERATING IN AND INTENDED TO FLY THROUGH A LOCALLY WELL KNOWN PASS. HE MISIDENTIFIED THE PASS AND FOUND HIMSELF IN A NARROW VALLEY. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WIDTH TO EFFECT A 180 DEGREE TURN AND THE RISING VALLEY FLOOR CONTINUED INTO THE CLOUDS WHICH OBSCURED THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE STRAIGHT AHEAD ON AN 80 PERCENT SLOPE.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,394 hours in all; 613 in this make and model; 248 in the last 90 days; 1,322 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,706 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1985; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO 520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hermans Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: KSM St Mary'S AK at 11:30 am
- Destination: KOT Kotlik AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Observation at 9:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.