Cessna 185 accident near Kenai, Alaska, July 23, 1998
On July 23, 1998 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N5892T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1998 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N5892T · registry record · serial 185-0792
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that just after receiving a clearance for takeoff, a request was made by the tower operator to 'expedite' the departure due to inbound traffic. The pilot said that during the departure roll, and as the airplane was nearing takeoff speed, the airplane veered uncontrollably to the left, went off the left side of the runway, and ground looped to the left. During the ground loop, the right wing and aileron struck the ground, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,299 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1998; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 7,575 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 017° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from PAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N5892T 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.