Cessna 185F accident near Anchorage, Alaska, November 19, 1994
On November 19, 1994 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N9618H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood Seaplane airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF A NOTAM THAT CLOSED THE RUNWAY AND A SLUSH COVERED RUNWAY AREA WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1994 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood Seaplane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9618H · registry record · serial 18503454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A FROZEN LAKE TO EXCHANGE THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS FOR SKI EQUIPMENT. THE INTENDED AIRPORT, A SEAPLANE BASE, HAD BEEN CLOSED DUE TO SLUSH AND SOFT ICE CONDITIONS. A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF THE NOTAM PRIOR TO LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT ICE/SNOW AND NOSED OVER.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,615 hours in all; 1,740 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 4,565 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,427 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D24 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRL AK at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from ANC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9618H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC95LA011.