Cessna 185F accident near Skwentna, Alaska, March 15, 1987
On March 15, 1987 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N9618H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska (Skwentna airport). 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
- March 15, 1987 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · Skwentna · 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
- N9618H · registry record · serial 18503454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING ON SKIS AT EXCESS SPEED, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN A CROSSWIND. THE LANDING GEAR BOX FAILED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME AND PROPELLER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,604 hours in all; 968 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 3,308 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1986; 60 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: AK83 Anchorage AK
- Destination: Fish Lakes AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,000 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N9618H 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.