Boeing 737-400 and Cessna 185 incident near Juneau, Alaska, July 2, 1994
On July 2, 1994 at about 3:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737-400 (N769AS) and Cessna 185 (N1470Q), were involved in the same incident near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau Intl airport). No one was hurt; 63 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO EXERCISE HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE EACH AIRCRAFT ADJUST ITS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OTHER, AND THE FAILURE OF THE THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 185 TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE BOEING 737.
THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO EXERCISE HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE EACH AIRCRAFT ADJUST ITS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OTHER, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 185 TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE BOEING 737.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1994 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 63 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737-400 · all 737-400s on the register
- Registration
- N769AS · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N1470Q · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737-400 final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROACHING THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHTCREW OF THE B-737, N769AS, MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, AND WAS ADVISED OF A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 26. AT ABOUT 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT, THE FLIGHTCREW WAS ADVISED OF PATTERN TRAFFIC THAT INCLUDED THE DEPARTING C-185, N1470Q, STARTING A LEFT DOWNWIND. THE PILOT OF THE C-185 WAS ALSO ADVISED OF THE B-737 ENTERING DOWNWIND, TO WHICH THE PILOT REPLIED '...ROGER HAVE TRAFFIC IN SIGHT WILL STAY LOW.' THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUCTED TO ADJUST HIS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE B-737. THE FLIGHTCREW OF THE B-737 SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED A 'NEAR MISS' TO THE TOWER. THE B-737 FLIGHTCREW AND THE C-185 PILOT ESTIMATED THEIR SEPARATION AS LESS THAN 50 FT, AT APRX 800 FT AGL. THE PILOT OF THE B-737 TOOK 'MAX NOSE UP...' EVASIVE ACTION.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 185 final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROACHING THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHTCREW OF THE B-737, N769AS, MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, AND WAS ADVISED OF A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 26. AT ABOUT 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT, THE FLIGHTCREW WAS ADVISED OF PATTERN TRAFFIC THAT INCLUDED THE DEPARTING C-185, N1470Q, STARTING A LEFT DOWNWIND. THE PILOT OF THE C-185 WAS ALSO ADVISED OF THE B-737 ENTERING DOWNWIND, TO WHICH THE PILOT REPLIED '...ROGER HAVE TRAFFIC IN SIGHT WILL STAY LOW.' THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUCTED TO ADJUST HIS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE B-737. THE FLIGHTCREW OF THE B-737 SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED A 'NEAR MISS' TO THE TOWER. THE B-737 FLIGHTCREW AND THE C-185 PILOT ESTIMATED THEIR SEPARATION AS LESS THAN 50 FT, AT APRX 800 FT AGL. THE PILOT OF THE B-737 TOOK 'MAX NOSE UP...' EVASIVE ACTION.
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 for the Boeing 737-400 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,763 hours in all; 5,738 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 131,900 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CFM56-3B-2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Airlines, INC
The flight
- Departed from: GST Gustavus AK at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from JNU, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 56 |
The factual record for the Cessna 185 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 568 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 560 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: KTN Ketchikan AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
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.