Cessna 185 accident near Point Barrow, Alaska, August 14, 1993
On August 14, 1993 at about 4:15 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N20752, was substantially damaged in an accident near Point Barrow, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT REFUELING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OPERATOR/MANAGEMENT INADEQUATE FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND OPERATIONAL CONTROL OVER THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1993 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Point Barrow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N20752 · registry record · serial 18503041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIAL PILOT ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A FUEL EXHAUSTION TOTAL POWER LOSS FOLLOWING AN ABRUPT CLIMB MANEUVER, AND LANDED ON THE TUNDRA. ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM BY FAA INSPECTORS EXAMINATION FOUND NO ANOMALIES. ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND ON BOARD. WHEN LEVELED, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY. FUEL SPILLED UNDER VENT WAS AN 18 INCH PUDDLE IN SATURATED TUNDRA. THE PART 135 OPERATOR KEPT NO FUEL RECORDS, OR FLIGHT FOLLOWING RECORDS FOR THE FLIGHT.
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: 2,286 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 122 in the last 30 days; 1,912 as pilot in command; 360 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1993; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D24K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cape Smythe Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: Chip Two Camp AK at 10:59 pm
- Destination: BRW Barrow AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BRW
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 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.