Cessna A185E accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 30, 1999
On August 30, 1999 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N124LR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska. 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 total loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1999 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N124LR · registry record · serial 159507-9-D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot, with three passengers aboard, reported that during initial descent, all engine power was lost. He said that after performing the engine emergency procedures, he was unable to restore engine power, and he selected a forced landing site that was surrounded by trees. During the forced landing, the left wing struck a stand of trees, and the airplane pivoted to the left. A postaccident investigation revealed the presence of fuel in both wing tanks, fuel lines, and the fuel manifold assembly. No mechanical defects were found with the engine. The cockpit fuel selector valve was found in the 'both' position. On September 7, 1999, the engine was operated while still mounted on the accident airplane's airframe. No anomalies were observed during its operation, and the engine produced full factory specified rpm.
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: 1,454 hours in all; 682 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,454 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1999; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-502-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IEM Whittier AK at 8:34 pm
- Destination: LHD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.