Cessna 185F accident near Farewell, Alaska, July 3, 1991
On July 3, 1991 at about 5:15 am local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N222WH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farewell, Alaska (Farewell airport). It was a business 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE COLLAPSED LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR, FAILED LEFT BRAKE, AND THE LOW LEVEL OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1991 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Farewell, Alaska · Farewell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N222WH · no longer on the register · serial 18503377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING THE AIRPLANE FROM SWERVING SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND. HE THOUGHT THE LEFT BRAKE HAD FAILED BECAUSE OF A LOSS OF FLUID. AFTER A BROKEN LINE WAS REPLACED AND THE SYSTEM SERVICED, THE BRAKES OPERATED NORMALLY.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,104 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 3,104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,905 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 11:15 pm
- Destination: NONE Crooked Creek AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,970 ft by 145 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N222WH 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.