Cessna 185 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 1, 1995
On July 1, 1995, a Cessna 185, registered N555WK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO ASSURE CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE UNFAVORABLE/GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1995
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N555WK · no longer on the register · serial 18503102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE APPROACHING ANDERSON PASS AT ABOUT 7500' MSL, THEY ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'SINK' AND HE TURNED TO REVERSE THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT AND TO EXIT THE PASS. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND, AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL FLAPS PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A GLACIER, WHILE TRAVELING DOWNHILL. THE WHEEL/SKIS SEPARATED FROM THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AT ABOUT THE 6500' LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING TO BE RESCUED, THE WIND WOULD GUST FROM ALL DIRECTIONS, AND IT WOULD BLOW PIECES OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE UPHILL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,063 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 3, 1995; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKA AK at 5:45 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 30 knots, gusting 60
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.