Cessna 185 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, May 7, 1985
On May 7, 1985 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 185, registered N5313Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Pennisula Point airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- May 7, 1985 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Pennisula Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N5313Y · registry record · serial 03284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTURE THE PLT STATED HE SELECTED GEAR UP. HE STATED THAT THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS INDICATED THAT ONE GEAR AS STILL IN THE DOWN POSITION. HE SAID HE RECYLCLED THE GEAR AND THEN CHECKED THE GEAR INDICATOR BLUBS. THE PILOT SAID HE THEN HAND PUMPED THE GEAR UNTIL HE BELIEVED THE GEAR TO THE BE IN THE UP POSITION. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WATER AND THEN NOSED OVER AS THE GEAR WAS STILL DOWN. THE FLOAT PLATE WAS FOUND TO BE INSTALLED BACKWARDS. FAA INSPECTORS TALKED TO FOUR WITNESSES WHO SAID THAT ALL GEAR WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE LEFT GEAR CAN BE CHECKED VISUALLY FROM THE COCKPIT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,025 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WRG Wrangell AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: SPB Ketchikan Pt AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.