Cessna 185-F II accident near Juneau, Alaska, October 1, 1986
On October 1, 1986 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Cessna 185-F II, registered N4631E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau, Ak airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 1, 1986 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau, Ak
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185-F II · all 185-F IIs on the register
- Registration
- N4631E · no longer on the register · serial 18503821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ATTEMPTED OVERWATER APPROACH TO VFR AIRPORT THROUGH FOG BANK IN CONDITIONS DECREASING TO 200 FT CLG AND ONE MI VIZ. ON ENCOUNTERING TOTAL IMC, CLIMBING TURN TOOK ACFT OVER LAND. ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AT 800 FT LEVEL.
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; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,426 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 3,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tenakee Inlet AK at 10:40 am
- Destination: JUN Juneau AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:13 am from JUN, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.