Cessna 185 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, June 29, 1995
On June 29, 1995 at about 5:15 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N9667Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Chena Marina Seaplane airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES TO NOT EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR DURING A WATER LANDING DUE TO HABIT INTERFERENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1995 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Chena Marina Seaplane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9667Q · no longer on the register · serial 18503785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED, HE NORMALLY FLIES A RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR MOONEY AND HE BELIEVES THAT HE INADVERTENTLY EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR BEFORE LANDING ON THE WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT THE AMPHIBIOUS FLOAT LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE DOWN SELECT POSITION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,170 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 177 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK28 at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from FAI, 3 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9667Q 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.