Cessna 185A accident near Hillsboro, North Dakota, July 28, 1987
On July 28, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 185A, registered N1686Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, North Dakota (Hillsboro Muni. airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 28, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, North Dakota · Hillsboro Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185A · all 185As on the register
- Registration
- N1686Z · registry record · serial 1850486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PLT WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF A CHECKOUT IN THE CESSNA 185. THE DUAL STUDENT LANDED THE ACFT ON RUNWAY 34 WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT BEGAN TO 'WEATHERVANE' AND THE RT WING BEGAN TO RISE. REMEDIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE FLT INSTRUCTOR BUT THE ACFT LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,202 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 8,028 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,666 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental I0-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5ND6 Hillsboro ND at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 065° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.