Cessna 185B accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, August 15, 1990
On August 15, 1990 at about 2:01 am local time, a Cessna 185B, registered N2550Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska (Mcgrath 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 LEFT INSIDE WHEEL BEARING, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1990 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Mcgrath · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185B · all 185Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2550Z · no longer on the register · serial 185-0550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 57-YEAR-OLD PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL/BEARING FAILED DURING LANDING, CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL AND GROUND LOOP THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT INSIDE WHEEL BEARING AND THE WHEEL WERE EXTENSIVELY 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: 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Granite Creek AK at 8:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 5,460 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:01 pm from MCG
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 N2550Z 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.