Cessna 185 accident near Trading Bay, Alaska, September 29, 1989
On September 29, 1989 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N64399, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trading Bay, Alaska (Remote Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE VISUAL APPROACH RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH A TREE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1989 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Trading Bay, Alaska · Remote Airstrip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N64399 · no longer on the register · serial 1851262
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 333 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND HIS CESSNA 185 AT A REMOTE DIRT AIRSTRIP. HE SAID THAT HE WAS ON A SHORT, LOW FINAL APPROACH WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING, CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. HE SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE TREE UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND THOUGHT INITIALLY HE HAD JUST GOTTEN TOO SLOW AND INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THE TREE BECAUSE NONE OF THE BRANCHES HAD ANY LEAVES.
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: 333 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: MRI Anchorage AK at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 150 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N64399 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.