Cessna 185 and Cessna 180 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 16, 1986
On August 16, 1986 at about 4:37 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 185 (N1802R) and Cessna 180 (N9418C), were involved in the same accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage Intl airport). No one was hurt; 7 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
- August 16, 1986 · about 4:37 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N1802R · registry record · serial 18502518
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9418C · registry record · serial 31816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 185 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF CESSNA 185 (C-185), N1802R, & CESSNA 180 (C-180), N9418C, RECEIVED CLEARANCE FM GROUND CONTROL TO TAXI TO RWY 32 VIA TAXIWAY-N (TWY-N). BOTH ACFT WERE TAILWHEEL (CONVENTIONAL GEAR) EQUIPPED. AS THE C-185 WAS PROCEEDING ALONG TWY-N, THE C-180 PLT TAXIED ONTO THE TWY, IN FRONT OF THE C-185 & FM THE RGT SIDE OF THE TWY. THE C-185 PLT SAID HE WAS TAXIING SLOWLY, BUT HAD A BLIND AREA FM HIS 12 TO 2 O'CLOCK PSN. JUST AS THE C-185 PLT SAW THE OTHER ACFT CONVERGING, HE APPLIED BRAKES & STOPPED, BUT HE SAID THE TAIL OF THE C-180 'SWUNG UNDER MY PROP.' THE C-185 PROP RECEIVED MINOR DMG WHILE THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE C-180 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DMGD. THE GROUND CONTROLLER STATED THAT AFTER HE CLEARED THE TWO CESSNAS TO TAXI, HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO A 3RD ACFT WHEN ITS PLT CALLED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS ON THE NORTH RAMP. BY THE TIME THE CONTROLLER HAD REDIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE TWO CESSNAS, THE ACDNT HAD OCCURRED. THE GROUND CONTROLLER DID NOT ISSUE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY TO EITHER OF THE CESSNA ACFT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF CESSNA 185 (C-185), N1802R, & CESSNA 180 (C-180), N9418C, RECEIVED CLEARANCE FM GROUND CONTROL TO TAXI TO RWY 32 VIA TAXIWAY-N (TWY-N). BOTH ACFT WERE TAILWHEEL (CONVENTIONAL GEAR) EQUIPPED. AS THE C-185 WAS PROCEEDING ALONG TWY-N, THE C-180 PLT TAXIED ONTO THE TWY, IN FRONT OF THE C-185 & FM THE RGT SIDE OF THE TWY. THE C-185 PLT SAID HE WAS TAXIING SLOWLY, BUT HAD A BLIND AREA FM HIS 12 TO 2 O'CLOCK PSN. JUST AS THE C-185 PLT SAW THE OTHER ACFT CONVERGING, HE APPLIED BRAKES & STOPPED, BUT HE SAID THE TAIL OF THE C-180 'SWUNG UNDER MY PROP.' THE C-185 PROP RECEIVED MINOR DMG WHILE THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE C-180 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DMGD. THE GROUND CONTROLLER STATED THAT AFTER HE CLEARED THE TWO CESSNAS TO TAXI, HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO A 3RD ACFT WHEN ITS PLT CALLED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS ON THE NORTH RAMP. BY THE TIME THE CONTROLLER HAD REDIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE TWO CESSNAS, THE ACDNT HAD OCCURRED. THE GROUND CONTROLLER DID NOT ISSUE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY TO EITHER OF THE CESSNA ACFT.
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 for the Cessna 185 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,706 hours in all; 311 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 1,588 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 10,496 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from ANC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
The factual record for the Cessna 180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,070 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,333 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 10,496 ft by 150 ft
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 N1802R 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.