Cessna A185F accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, August 7, 1992
On August 7, 1992 at about 2:34 am local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4766E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Int'L Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND/INSTRUCTOR PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE GROUND RUN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1992 · about 2:34 am local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Int'L Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4766E · registry record · serial 18503872
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE PRIVATE PILOT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF POWER WAS ADDED, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR THEN COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND. BOTH PILOTS WERE ON THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME. BOTH ALSO SAID THEY WERE IN A HURRY TO TAKEOFF SINCE AN AIRLINE JET WAS WAITING DEPARTURE FROM THE SAME RUNWAY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,486 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 9,139 as pilot in command; 3,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 7,497 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.