Cessna 185 accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, June 12, 1993
On June 12, 1993 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N8536L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arctic Village, Alaska. It was a personal 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'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/THIN (WEAK) ICE CONDITION OF THE LAKE SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1993 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arctic Village, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N8536L · no longer on the register · serial 185-01575
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES OVER A FROZEN LAKE AND BOUNCED THE GEAR ON THE SURFACE TO CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE ICE. HE THEN ELECTED TO LAND ON THE LAKE. DURING THE LAST 100 FEET OF THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES BEGAN TO CUT A GROOVE IN THE ICE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY SANK IN APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET OF WATER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 680 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Poters Lake AK at 11:30 am
- Destination: Porcupine Lake AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8536L 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.