Cessna 185 accident near Tuluksak, Alaska, October 15, 1989
On October 15, 1989 at about 4:15 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N70022, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tuluksak, Alaska. 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
MOUNTING SHAFT (AIRBOX THROUGH-SHAFT) FOR THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS HAD BECOME LOOSE AND BACKED OUT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND ROUGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1989 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Tuluksak, Alaska
- 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
- N70022 · registry record · serial 18507897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 884 in this make and model; 290 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BET Bethel AK at 10:50 pm
- Destination: ANI Aniak AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°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.
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.