Cessna 185A accident near Bend, Oregon, April 30, 2011
On April 30, 2011 at about 2:20 am local time, a Cessna 185A, registered N1679Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bend, Oregon (Bend Municipal 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2011 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Bend, Oregon · Bend Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185A · all 185As on the register
- Registration
- N1679Z · registry record · serial 185-0479
- 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 during the approach the airplane experienced a constant crosswind from the left. As the airplane entered the landing flare, it encountered turbulence that the pilot believed was created by the hangars alongside the runway. The airplane touched down with the left wing low and, during the rollout, the wind picked up the left wing. The pilot applied brakes and the airplane weathervaned into the wind. Subsequently, the right wing, right elevator and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground resulting in substantial damage. The wind was reported to be from 320 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 19,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,748 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2011; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA87 Battle Ground WA at 1:20 am
- Destination: KBDN Bend OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 am from KBDN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1679Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.