Cessna 185F accident near Gustavus, Alaska, May 31, 1993
On May 31, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N185TD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gustavus, Alaska (Glacier Bay Country Inn airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT MISJUDGING HIS SPEED WHILE LANDING ON A WET GRASS STRIP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gustavus, Alaska · Glacier Bay Country Inn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185TD · registry record · serial 18504136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS USING FULL FLAPS AND AN APPROACH SPEED OF 65 KTS. HE TOUCHED DOWN 400 FT BEYOND THE THRESHOLD OF THE 1200-FT STRIP. HE REPORTED THE BRAKING ACTION AS 'NIL' ON THE WET GRASS. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP AND STRUCK A DITCH, COLLAPSING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT OPERATOR'S HANDBOOK SUPPLEMENT FOR THE ROBERTSON STOL CONVERSION STATES THAT THE NORMAL GROUND ROLL IS 310 FT WITH FULL FLAPS, 58 KTS INDICATED AT 50 FT, AND HEAVY BRAKING ON HARD SURFACED RUNWAYS, AND THAT THIS DISTANCE SHOULD BE INCREASE BY 20% FOR DRY GRASS RUNWAYS.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1993; 15 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: none
- Runway 36, 1,222 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.