Cessna 185 accident near Tanacross, Alaska, September 7, 1989
On September 7, 1989 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N4838C, was destroyed in an accident near Tanacross, Alaska (Tanacross airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT BY THE PILOT BY BUZZING THE AIRPORT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S USE OF ABRUPT MANEUVERS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1989 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Tanacross, Alaska · Tanacross · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N4838C · no longer on the register · serial 18502606
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RTRNG FM A HUNTING TRIP, THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO ANOTHER LOCATION. SOMEONE ASKED HIM IF IT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE TO FILM HIS TAKEOFF BY MOUNTING A CAMERA IN THE TAKEOFF AREA. THE PLT AGREED, BUT ELECTED TO USE THE TAXIWAY (TWY) TO FILM THE TAKEOFF. THE CAMERA WAS MOUNTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWY. AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF OVER THE CAMERA, HE TURNED BACK & FLEW ACROSS THE ARPT AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALT. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP CLIMBING TURN. ONE WITNESS SAID THE PLT THEN 'EXECUTED THE ONE-HALF ROLL TO THE RIGHT TO UPSIDE DOWN, TURN BACK AND DOWN . . . PARALLELTO THE LARGE RUNWAY.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE RUNWAY & BEGAN BURNING. IT WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT & FIRE.NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,978 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 9, 1989; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TSG at 8:30 pm
- Destination: TJK Tok AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N4838C 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.