Cessna A185 accident near Reardan, Washington, November 9, 2018
On November 9, 2018 at about 6:02 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna A185, registered N185PR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Reardan, Washington (Zwainz Farms 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 pilot receiving instruction's improper approach and landing flare in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2018 · about 6:02 pm local time
- Place
- Reardan, Washington · Zwainz Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185 F, built 1976 · all A185s on the register
- Registration
- N185PR · registry record · serial 18502889
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was evaluating a pilot receiving instruction in a tailwheel-equipped, high-performance airplane for a visual flight rules cross-country flight. He added that they considered the runway to be "a one-way strip." When they arrived at the private airstrip, the GPS indicated a 5-knot crosswind from the southeast. During the approach, the airplane was about "50 ft high" when it crossed their predetermined go-around point; they continued the landing. During the touchdown, the airplane bounced twice, and the pilot then initiated a go-around. The instructor then "reminded" the pilot that they were committed to the landing and instructed him not to go-around, so the pilot transitioned the airplane back to landing. During the subsequent touchdown, the airplane "quickly" veered right. The pilot attempted to correct the veer, but the airplane exited the right side of the airstrip onto soft ground, and it then nosed down and came to rest on the spinner and left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot indicated that the wind at the airport was from about 140° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 5. The flight instructor recommended that he should have taken the controls sooner in the abnormal situation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,299 hours in all; 838 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 6,511 as pilot in command; 4,247 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 25, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 238 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 11, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,381.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 1,551 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF Spokane WA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: WA08 Reardan WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 05, 2,600 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from KSKA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 18, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Picture | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.