Cessna 185F accident near Nightmute, Alaska, April 9, 1998
On April 9, 1998, a Cessna 185F, registered N5485R, was destroyed in an accident near Nightmute, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of aircraft control. Factors in the accident were meteorological conditions consisting of low ceilings, and blowing snow, and the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1998
- Place
- Nightmute, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5485R · no longer on the register · serial 18503038
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot departed on a CFR Part 135/government flight for a remote coastal village to pick up the sole passenger. Just before landing at the village, light snow began to fall, and the wind conditions increased to about 20 knots. There was no evidence the pilot obtained a weather briefing. The area forecast included isolated ceilings below 1,000 feet, and visibilities below 3 miles in blowing snow and mist from offshore. The forecast wind conditions included 20 knots to 40 knots from offshore. Airmets were issued for moderate low level turbulence, mountain obscuration, strong surface winds along the coast, and moderate rime icing in clouds. When the airplane departed the village on the accident flight, a resident said the visibility was 1/4 to 1/2 mile in blowing snow. The flight did not reach the destination. The wreckage was located 8 miles away in snow covered terrain after two days of blizzard conditions. The airplane collided with the ground in a near vertical attitude, and exhibited high speed destruction. An examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact malfunction. Evidence of engine combustion, heat, and rotation were noted during the engine examination.
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, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,126 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 27, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OOK Toksook Bay AK at 7:50 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 24 knots
- Visibility: 1.3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:37 pm from PAM, 43 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.
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.