Cessna 185 SKYWAGON accident near Petersburg, Alaska, August 24, 1983
On August 24, 1983 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 185 SKYWAGON, registered N8700Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petersburg, Alaska. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1983 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 SKYWAGON 185 SKYWAG · all 185 SKYWAGONs on the register
- Registration
- N8700Z · registry record · serial 18502896
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A MARSHY AREA AND NOSED OVER AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL DURING A RIGHT TURN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE MADE A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT TO THE THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT AND LANDED IN A MARSHY FIELD CLOSE TO THE RWY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THINKS THERE WAS WATER IN THE FUEL.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 302 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,379 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,320 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSG Petersburg AK at 6:45 pm
- Destination: JNU Juneau AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SIT, 89 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.
Other NTSB records under N8700Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.