Cessna A185E accident near Valentine, Nebraska, August 26, 2006
On August 26, 2006 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N4730Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valentine, Nebraska (Miller Field 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 maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop by the pilot. A factor contributing to the accident was the gusting crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2006 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Valentine, Nebraska · Miller Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N4730Q · registry record · serial 185-1184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped during landing. The pilot reported that when she applied the left brake the airplane ground looped. Wind conditions reported near the time of the accident were: wind 350 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,055.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CWI Clinton IA
- Destination: VTN Valentine NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 350° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:52 am from VTN
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 N4730Q 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.