Cessna 185 accident near Wilbur, Washington, May 28, 2007
On May 28, 2007 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N9434N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilbur, Washington (Gerald Gollehon Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
In-flight collision with terrain shortly after takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2007 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilbur, Washington · Gerald Gollehon Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9434N · registry record · serial 18504355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Based on all the available evidence, it is believed that shortly after taking off from his private grass airstrip, the pilot encountered an undetermined problem that caused him to attempt a precautionary or forced landing in the only nearby level flat open area available. During that attempt, with the airplane in the landing configuration, and at a very low airspeed, the airplane's left wing came in contact with the level terrain. When the wing contacted the terrain, the airplane cart wheeled nose-first into the ground, and came to a stop about 12 feet beyond where the nose impacted the field. The investigation did not reveal any anomalies in the airplane's airframe, engine, or flight controls that would explain the necessity for the forced landing or would have contributed to the wing tip coming in contact with the terrain. It could not be determined if the pilot lost control of the airplane during the last part of the landing sequence, or whether he inadvertently allowed the wing tip to touch the ground during a low level turn to align the airplane's heading parallel to an upcoming ditch just prior to touchdown.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wilbur WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA07FA134.