Cessna 185 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, July 1, 1989
On July 1, 1989 at about 6:42 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N75LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. THE CROSSWIND AND GUSTS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1989 · about 6:42 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N75LE · registry record · serial 1850870
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE WAS LANDING, A GUST OF WIND FROM THE LEFT LIFTED THE LEFT WING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT WING HIT THE GROUND AND THE RIGHT WING TIP AND AILERON WERE DAMAGED.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 164 hours in all; 163 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,408 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1988; 155 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:42 am from FAI
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 N75LE 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.