Cessna 185F accident near Naknek, Alaska, June 16, 1986
On June 16, 1986 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N70438, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naknek, 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
- June 16, 1986 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Naknek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N70438 · registry record · serial 18502170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL ON ONE TANK. ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW TO RESTART ON OTHER TANK PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ugashik AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: AKN King Salmon AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from AKN, 19 miles away
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.
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.