Cessna 185F accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, September 16, 1998
On September 16, 1998, a Cessna 185F, registered N93904, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and his failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1998
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N93904 · registry record · serial 18503261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was flying a float equipped airplane from a remote mountain area to pick up supplies for a hunting/guide business. During the flight, weather conditions, consisting of low ceilings and low visibility, forced the pilot to deviate from his planned route. He was flying over a public use cabin located on a remote lake, and noticed a person on the ground waving. The pilot landed on the lake to wait for improving weather conditions, and to determine if the person at the cabin was in need of assistance. After waiting for better weather conditions, the pilot began a takeoff from the lake without the person at the cabin. The pilot estimated the lake was about 1/4 mile long. As the airplane was about to lift off, the left wing collided with several trees located along the bank of the lake. The airplane then collided with the shore, and received damage to the engine, propeller, left wing, the right wing lift strut, and the float assemblies.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bettles AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FAI AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.