Cessna 185 accident near Durango, Colorado, August 6, 1989
On August 6, 1989 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N9823X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (La Plata County 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE WIND CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1989 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · La Plata County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9823X · registry record · serial 1850023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS ON RWY 2. HE RPRTD THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS INDICATING A STRONG X-WIND WHEN HE LANDED. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND VELOCITY WAS 20 KTS. DURING THE LANDING, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT GROUND LOOPED. THE 1350 MDT WIND WAS FROM 290 DEG AT 4 GUSTING 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: 750 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DUR at 7:35 pm
- Destination: DUR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 9,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DUR
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 N9823X 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.