Cessna A185F accident near Alton, Illinois, December 5, 2008
On December 5, 2008 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N185KS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Alton, Illinois (St Louis Regional Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to compensate for the crosswind during landing, resulting in loss of control of the aircraft and the subsequent nose-over of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2008 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Alton, Illinois · St Louis Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185KS · registry record · serial 18502366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel-equipped airplane was landing with a left crosswind. While rolling out, the airplane veered to the right and the pilot attempted to correct with aileron, rudder, and then brake. The pilot stated that when left braking was applied, the airplane nosed forward and the left wingtip and propeller contacted the ground. He stated that the airplane then nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction of 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,700 hours in all; 182 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,279 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPI Springfield IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: ALN Alton IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 8,101 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.52 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from ALN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.