Cessna A185E accident near Cascade, Idaho, May 5, 1996
On May 5, 1996 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N185MP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cascade, Idaho (Morgan Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper planning/decision, his failure to ensure that the airplane would maintain proper clearance from obstructions (trees), and his delay in aborting the takeoff. The soft/wet runway and tailwind were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1996 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cascade, Idaho · Morgan Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N185MP · registry record · serial 18501168
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he initiated a soft field takeoff on a wet and soft grass strip. The airplane lifted off and the pilot leveled the airplane at 10 feet above ground level to increase speed. The pilot stated that the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airspeed dropped 10 knots. The airplane would not clear small trees at the end of the runway, and the pilot aborted the takeoff after colliding with the first trees. The airplane then landed approximately 300 feet from the end of the runway.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 7,000 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,594 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1995; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA96LA089.