Cessna A185F accident near Pocatello, Idaho, July 25, 2013
On July 25, 2013 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N31YH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pocatello, Idaho (Pocatello Regional 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing with gusting wind and a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2013 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Pocatello, Idaho · Pocatello Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N31YH · no longer on the register · serial 18504258
- 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 landing with a gusting crosswind and a wind shift to a quartering tailwind, the airplane's right wing lifted up after he had lowered the tail to the runway. He applied corrective control inputs, however, the airplane yawed sideways causing the left landing gear to collapse and substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,220 hours in all; 999 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 20, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,329 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KO20 Lodi CA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: KPIH Pocatello ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 9,060 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KPIH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.