Cessna 185 accident near Whittier, Alaska, July 4, 1988
On July 4, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N185BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whittier, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- July 4, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Whittier, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N185BT · no longer on the register · serial 18503070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SIX MILE LAKE ON ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE AND WAS DESTINED FOR COGHILL LAKE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND AT THE 2500 FOOT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BURNS GLACIER. THE AIRPLANE HEADING WAS 324 DEGREES. THE HEADING TO GO THROUGH THE PASS OVER BURNS GLACIER IS NORMALLY 104 DEGREES. A VIDEO TAPE FOUND ON BOARD SHOWED THAT THE CLOUDS IN THE VICINITY OF THE GLACIER OBSCURED THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. WEATHER FORECASTS PLACED THE CEILINGS AT 2500 FEET MSL BROKEN TO OVERCAST.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,356 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 3,713 as pilot in command; 1,230 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1987; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,320 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Elmendorf Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: Six Mile Lake AK at 12:17 pm
- Destination: Coghill Lake AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from 5WT, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.