Cessna 185 accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, April 7, 2025
On April 7, 2025 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna 185, registered N1526F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wausau, Wisconsin (Wausau Downtown 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 failure to maintain directional control while landing in shifting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2025 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Wausau, Wisconsin · Wausau Downtown · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 D, built 1965 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N1526F · registry record · serial 1850869
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 5 with reported strong and variable wind conditions. About 25 miles from the airport, the pilot obtained automated weather which reported the wind from 340° at 18 knots (kts) and gusting to 25 kts. When he rechecked the weather about 5 miles from the airport, the wind had shifted to 010° at 18 kts and gusting to 25 kts, so he maneuvered to land on runway 5. A few seconds before touchdown, the pilot perceived that the wind had shifted to favor runway 31. The airplane touched down, bounced, and the pilot applied power for a go-around; however, he lost rudder effectiveness and control of the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the left, the right main landing gear wheel separated, and the right wing contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the rear spar. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,018 hours in all; 676 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 16, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KANJ Sault Ste. Marie MI at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 3,041 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KAUW
Weather report (METAR): KAUW 071954Z AUTO 36014G24KT 10SM BKN048 01/M13 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP193 T00061133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 5, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Not Signed | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Kauw ASOS Archived Data | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N1526F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1526F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 185 Skywagon 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D 95 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Wausau Downtown Airport · nearest airport
- Sault Ste Marie Muni/Sanderson Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 228 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,164 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1526F 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA153.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.