Cessna A185F accident near Mexican Hat, Utah, May 3, 2008
On May 3, 2008 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N185KH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mexican Hat, Utah (Nokai Dome 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2008 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mexican Hat, Utah · Nokai Dome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185KH · no longer on the register · serial 18502300
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off from a dirt road, and the right main gear encountered a rut. The pilot wasn't sure if this damaged the gear leg or tire assembly. He continued his flight to a dirt strip. He flew over the field twice to assess the winds and the condition of the field. There was no wind indicator at the field and he elected to land uphill on a westerly heading. He experienced significant downdrafts on short final, and added power to compensate. He bounced the landing, which he reported was recoverable with power. The airplane then bounced once or twice slightly, and veered sharply to the left of the runway. It departed the runway, impacted trees and bushes, and nosed over, causing substantial damage to the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 772 hours in all; 640 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 698 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grand Gulch UT
- Destination: Mexican Hat UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,300 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PGA, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.