Cessna A185F accident near Eveleth, Minnesota, July 1, 2003
On July 1, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N30CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eveleth, Minnesota (Sky Harbor 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 misjudgment of speed and distance resulting in an overrun. Factors were the ditch embankment, and the tailwind component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eveleth, Minnesota · Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N30CM · registry record · serial 18502443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when it overran the grass runway and hit a ditch embankment. The pilot reported that on the final landing attempt he landed past a mower that had cleared the runway about 1/4 of the way down the length of the runway. He stated that he touched down past the halfway point on the runway and was too fast to stop on the grass runway, subsequently impacting the ditch embankment. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties with the airplane. The tailwind component was calculated to be 5 knots.
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: 630 hours in all; 287 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D-24 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D25 Manitowish Wate WI at 6:10 pm
- Destination: 9Y5 Eveleth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:36 pm from EVM, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.