Cessna 185 accident near Clarks Point, Alaska, July 23, 1991
On July 23, 1991 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N6166N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarks Point, Alaska (Clarks Point airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE GROUND CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE DISC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL GROUND LOOP OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1991 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Clarks Point, Alaska · Clarks Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N6166N · registry record · serial 18504302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND LOST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HIS LEFT BRAKE. HE ELECTED TO GROUND LOOP THE AIRPLANE RATHER THAN RUN OFF INTO THE TUNDRA. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT BRAKE ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE BRAKE DISC HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ASSEMBLY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,400 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1991; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NK Naknek AK at 5:50 pm
- Runway 0, 2,600 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 18 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N6166N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC91LA108.