Cessna 185 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, October 26, 1987
On October 26, 1987 at about 10:06 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N9946X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 26, 1987 · about 10:06 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9946X · registry record · serial 1850146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED SEAPLANE PILOT-IN-COMMAND MADE ONE GO AROUND WHEN HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN IDENTIFYING THE SURFACE OF THE GLASSY WATER. ON THE SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT HE FLEW THE AIRPLANE INTO THE WATER AT A NEGATIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK. THE AIRPLANE STAYED RIGHT SIDE UP IN SPITE OF A PARTIAL CARTWHEEL TO THE RIGHT. IT THEN ROLLED ONTO THE LEFT WING BEFORE RIGHTING ITSELF. DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 479 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 362 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,093 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1987; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Figure Eight Lk AK at 9:45 pm
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,540 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from ANC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.