Cessna 185F accident near Placerville, California, April 8, 1996
On April 8, 1996 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N61905, was substantially damaged in an accident near Placerville, California (Placerville 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 CFI's failure to take adequate remedial action to preclude the loss of direction control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1996 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N61905 · no longer on the register · serial 18504272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot had just purchased the conventional gear airplane from the CFI, and he desired a check-out. The CFI talked the owner through the first landing. Then, the CFI took the controls and planned to demonstrate performance of a three-point touchdown. The CFI did not indicate that anything unusual occurred except the airplane veered right during rollout. According to the CFI, he attempted to take corrective action by applying left rudder, but the airplane continued rolling to the right. The airplane exited off the side of the runway, entered a dirt area, and nosed over. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were experienced.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,702 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,646 as pilot in command; 526 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,134 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,362 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVF at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PVF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,201 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.