The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB SEA86LA218 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Cessna A185E accident near Soldier Bar Air, Idaho, August 22, 1986

On August 22, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N1RC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Soldier Bar Air, Idaho (Soldier Bar Airstrip 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 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
August 22, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time · cases in 1986
Place
Soldier Bar Air, Idaho · Soldier Bar Airstrip · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
Registration
N1RC · registry record · serial 18502060
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A 1600 FOOT RUNWAY WITH A TAILWIND. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 6300 FEET. DURING BRAKING A GUST OF WIND OCCURRED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER INVERTED.

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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: left

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection
  • Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
  • Seats: 6
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: 85U Soldier Bar Air ID at 4:25 pm
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 25, 1,600 ft by 20 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 240° at 5 knots, gusting 10
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
  • Observation at 11:30 am

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA86LA218.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.