Cessna 185 accident near Akron, Colorado, August 22, 1984
On August 22, 1984 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N1980U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Akron, Colorado (Akron 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 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
- August 22, 1984 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Colorado · Akron · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N1980U · no longer on the register · serial 185-01725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS APRX 200 LBS UNDER MAX GROSS WEIGHT FOR THE TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT ALL OF HIS PREVIOUS TAKEOFFS HAD BEEN AT NEAR SEA LEVEL. HE STATED THAT HE WAS NOT USED TO HIGH DENSITY TAKEOFFS SUCH AS THIS ONE (7011 FEET DENSITY ALTITUDE). THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATED APRX THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY INTO 'A LITTLE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE', CLIMBED TO 100 FT AGL WHEN THE GEAR WAS RAISED AND THE FLAPS WERE RAISED TO 10 DEGREES. AT THIS POINT IT BEGAN TO SETTLE BACK DOWN AND STALLED AT APRX 15 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK.
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: 170 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 4,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:20 pm from AKO
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.