Cessna 305E accident near Barrow, Alaska, November 19, 1986
On November 19, 1986 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Cessna 305E, registered N68396, was substantially damaged in an accident near Barrow, Alaska (Wiley Post airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- November 19, 1986 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Barrow, Alaska · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305E · all 305Es on the register
- Registration
- N68396 · registry record · serial 23522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF HE HAD FULL RIGHT AILERON AND LEFT RUDDER. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND CRASHED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WIND WAS FIVE KNOTS OR LESS.
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
- Flight time: 1,560 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,498 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1986; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: -6°F (-21°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from BRW
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.
Other NTSB records under N68396 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.