Cessna 185 accident near Mccall, Idaho, February 6, 1995
On February 6, 1995, a Cessna 185, registered N9CR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccall, Idaho (Mccall airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFT-OFF DURING THE TAKEOFF, LEADING TO AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO PERFORM A FORMATION TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1995
- Place
- Mccall, Idaho · Mccall
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N9CR · registry record · serial 18502321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORMATION TAKEOFF WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE OBSERVED TO BEGIN THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND LIFT OFF FROM THE SAME RUNWAY AT THE SAME TIME. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE PREMATURELY LIFTED OFF AT AN AIRSPEED THAT WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE AERODYNAMICALLY STALLED ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. IT IMPACTED SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE REPORTED.
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
- Flight time: 1,350 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,016 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 2S8 Wilbur WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,162 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.