Cessna A185F accident near Paxson, Alaska, April 8, 1994
On April 8, 1994 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N8191Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paxson, Alaska. It was a business flight 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND DID NOT MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE FROM THE SNOW BERM. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOW BERM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1994 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paxson, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8191Q · no longer on the register · serial 18503635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BERM DURING A SKI TAKEOFF ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SUPPORT STRUT WAS SHEARED FROM ITS FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT FITTING RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR BOX.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,394 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 21, 1994; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gulkana Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Destination: Gulkana AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; not recorded at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.