Cessna C-A185F accident near Barrow, Alaska, May 3, 1992
On May 3, 1992 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna C-A185F, registered N20752, was substantially damaged in an accident near Barrow, Alaska. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLT CONTROLS BY THE SECOND PILOT DURING LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE MISHAP WERE THE ROUGH/UNEVEN SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1992 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Barrow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-A185F
- Registration
- N20752 · registry record · serial 18503041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP RATED SECOND PILOT WAS BEING CHECKED OUT FOR COMMERCIAL OPNS IN SKI EQUIPPED ACFT BY A COMPANY DESIGNATED INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD LANDED AT A REMOTE SNOW COVERED SITE. THE SECOND PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF, TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND INITIATED HIS FIRST SKI LANDING. THE ACFT BOUNCED TWICE ON THE ROUGH SURFACE, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED DOWN, DRAGGING THE RIGHT SKI, AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AT THE GEAR BOX.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 320 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 9,600 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,108 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 27, 1992; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cape Smythe Air Service, INC
The flight
- Departed from: BRW Barrow AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BRW Barrow AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from BRW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N20752 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.