Cessna 185 accident near Jackson, Michigan, February 6, 1983
On February 6, 1983 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N61434, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Michigan (Jackson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1983 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Michigan · Jackson
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N61434 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TAILWHEEL ACFT VEERED DURING LANDING ON RWY 5 & THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE WIND WAS 110 DEGREES 6 KTS. THE PILOT STATES HE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER WHO OBSERVED THE LANDING REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. AN FAA MECHANIC INSPECTED THE LEFT GEAR AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE ANY PREIMPACT FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,986 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2,924 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 81 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Addison MI at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,344 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 pm from JXN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N61434 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.