Cessna 185 accident near Cordova, Alaska, May 13, 1997
On May 13, 1997 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 185, registered N1005F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordova, Alaska (Eyak Lake 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 decision not to perform a go-around. A factor in the accident was the presence of birds which led the pilot to extend and misjudge his touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1997 · about 1:30 am local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Eyak Lake · cases near this airport · 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
- N1005F · registry record · serial 18502677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land his float equipped airplane on a lake when he saw a flock of geese near his intended touchdown point. He elected to lengthen his landing approach and fly over the geese. Soon after touchdown, he realized he would not be able to stop the airplane prior to the shoreline, and that he had insufficient room to abort the landing. The airplane ran up on the shore and struck a tree. The pilot reported that he should have performed a go-around.
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
- Flight time: 778 hours in all; 268 in this make and model; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1997; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2Y3 Yakutat AK at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from CDV
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 N1005F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1005F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 185 Skywagon 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D 95 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Cordova Municipal · nearest airport
- Yakutat Seaplane Base · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1005F 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC97LA071.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.