Cessna A-185-F accident near Puntilla Lake, Alaska, March 6, 1989
On March 6, 1989 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A-185-F, registered N1292F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Puntilla Lake, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, THE TURN TO REVERSE COURSE MANEUVER PERFORMED AT THE REDUCED AIRSPEED AND POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1989 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Puntilla Lake, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A-185-F · all A-185-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1292F · registry record · serial 18502812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT BECAME UNSURE OF CLEARING THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A 180 DEG TURN WAS INITIATED DURING WHICH THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT. PASSENGERS AND WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE MAINTAINED AN UNUSUAL NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE AND LOW AIRSPEED FROM LIFT-OFF TO JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE PILOT HAD TAKEN OFF FROM A ROUGH AREA ON THE FROZEN LAKE, DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL TAKEOFF AREA.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 9,010 as pilot in command; 2,729 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,793 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1988; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 3:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Rohn River AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from PTI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.