Cessna 185E accident near Iliamna, Alaska, July 1, 1998
On July 1, 1998 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 185E, registered N4574F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska (Iliamna 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 inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions. Factors associated with the accident were a crosswind and the pilot's lack of recent experience in a tailwheel airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1998 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · Iliamna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185E · all 185Es on the register
- Registration
- N4574F · registry record · serial 185-1081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated airline transport pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 17 in a tailwheel airplane. He stated that at the time of the accident, he inadvertently failed to meet the pilot-in-command requirements for a tailwheel airplane. The pilot rated passenger, seated in the right seat, was not a certificated flight instructor. The pilot stated that wind conditions at the time of the accident were varied, and were last reported to be from 090 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot stated that just after touchdown, the airplane veered to the right. He said that he applied left rudder in an attempt to maintain heading, but the airplane continued to the right. He stated that upon reaching the edge of the runway, he applied the brakes, and the left wheel lost traction in loose gravel. He said that the right wheel maintained traction, and the airplane ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the left wing, aileron, and left elevator struck the runway and sustained substantial damage. At 1153, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: Wind, 159 degrees (magnetic) at 7 knots.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,520 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 6,856 as pilot in command; 974 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 931 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1998; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Iliaska Lodge, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 159° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ILI
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.