Cessna 185-A accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 22, 1990
On June 22, 1990 at about 2:42 am local time, a Cessna 185-A, registered N4145Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill 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
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR TORQUE PLATE CAUSING AN UNCONTROLLABLE LANDING ROLL OUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1990 · about 2:42 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185-A · all 185-As on the register
- Registration
- N4145Y · no longer on the register · serial 0345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING AT THE MERRILL FIELD AIRPORT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE GROUND TRACK. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR TORQUE PLATE HAD BROKEN IN TWO AND PART OF THE TORQUE PLATE FELL OUT ONTO THE RUNWAY.
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: 5,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCG Mcgrath AK at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from MRI
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 N4145Y 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.