Cessna A185F accident near Dauphin Island, Alabama, July 11, 2015
On July 11, 2015 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna A185F, registered N185DK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dauphin Island, Alabama (Dauphin Island 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 pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll in gusty wind conditions which resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2015 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dauphin Island, Alabama · Dauphin Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F, built 1979 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185DK · no longer on the register · serial 18503808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, he encountered a gust of wind from the right. The tail of the airplane moved to the left, the left wing impacted the ground and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The wind reported from a nearby weather station were 180 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 14 knots about the time of the accident. The pilot reported he was landing runway 12. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 960 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,947 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D (piston); 1,603 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2R5 St Elmo AL at 8:10 pm
- Destination: 4R9 Dauphin Island AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KJKA, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N185DK 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.