Cessna A185F accident near Tillamook, Oregon, July 28, 2000
On July 28, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N7485C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tillamook, Oregon (Tillamook 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
- July 28, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tillamook, Oregon · Tillamook · 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
- N7485C · registry record · serial 18502373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot entered a downwind for runway 31 and noted calm winds from a nearby smoke stack and the midfield windsock. He established the aircraft on short final with three notches of flaps and 65 knots of airspeed for a three-point landing. Touchdown on the main wheels occurred just slightly before the tailwheel touchdown. Once on the runway, the pilot applied full aft elevator, raised the manually operated flaps, and applied light braking during which the aircraft suddenly veered left. The pilot reported that rudder control was inadequate, and that applying power worsened the yaw. He then retarded the throttle to idle, applied full up elevator, hard right rudder and hard braking, during which the aircraft continued to yaw left and eventually impacted the right wingtip. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft during the event.
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; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 746 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 656 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 10, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,922 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2000; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR at 6:15 pm
- Destination: S47
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,990 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from AST, 45 miles away
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.
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.