Cessna 185-F accident near Cordova, Alaska, August 29, 1991
On August 29, 1991 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 185-F, registered N1296F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordova, Alaska (Cordova 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1991 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Cordova · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185-F · all 185-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1296F · registry record · serial 18502816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ROLLOUT ON LANDING, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY MID WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY FACING 90 DEGREES OF THE CENTERLINE.
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: 2,700 hours in all; 266 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 2,667 as pilot in command; 190 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,509 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 25, 1991; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from CDV, 5 miles away
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 N1296F 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.