Cessna A185F accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming, August 17, 1988
On August 17, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N2450J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming (Sullivan Ranch airport). It was a business 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 17, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Medicine Bow, Wyoming · Sullivan Ranch · 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
- N2450J · no longer on the register · serial 18504390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PLT RETURNED TO HIS RANCH STRIP & LANDED TO THE ENE WITH A X-WIND FROM THE RIGHT. DRG THE LNDG ROLL, THE ACFT BEGAN TO GO TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT CORRECTED WITH LEFT PEDAL, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT & NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-ACDNT FAILURE OR DEFICIENCY. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH AT 15 TO 20 KTS.
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
- Flight time: 5,290 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,170 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 1988; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPR Casper WY at 1:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2450J 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.