Cessna 185 accident near Mcclaren River, Alaska, September 16, 1988
On September 16, 1988 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N73DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcclaren River, Alaska (Bush Strip 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
- September 16, 1988 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mcclaren River, Alaska · Bush Strip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N73DA · registry record · serial 1850119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK EITHER A DEPRESSION OR AN OBJECT ON THE RIVERBED/RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF ROLL AND VEERED LEFT. HE CORRECTED THE DEVIATION AND CONTINUED TAKING OFF. HOWEVER, WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP, HE 'PULLED FLAPS AND LIFTED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE GROUND.' AFTER PASSING THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP, THE AIRPLANE SETTLED ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,620 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1988; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 272 Eureka AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:00 pm
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.