Cessna 185F accident near Cumberland, Wisconsin, April 29, 2002
On April 29, 2002 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N8081E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cumberland, Wisconsin (Cumberland Municipal 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control after encountering high winds and gusty winds during taxi from landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2002 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cumberland, Wisconsin · Cumberland Municipal · 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
- N8081E · registry record · serial 185-02329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that while taxing after landing a gust of wind lifted the right wing off the ground catching the left wing tip and stabilizer. The pilot reported winds of 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The pilot stated he "suspect this caused incident".
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; 53 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 18,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3T3 Boyceville WI at 9:45 pm
- Destination: UBE Cumberland WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,050 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°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.
Other NTSB records under N8081E 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.