Cessna 185 accident near Winifred, Montana, May 17, 2020
On May 17, 2020 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1961 Cessna 185, registered N185, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Winifred, Montana (Left Coulee Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadequate flare that resulted in a bounced landing and the pilot's subsequent delayed decision to go-around that did not allow for sufficient clearance from trees when the airplane was affected by a gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2020 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Winifred, Montana · Left Coulee Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 Undesignat, built 1961 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N185 · registry record · serial 185-0154
- 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 trees lined the east side of the dirt airstrip, and the first 800 ft sloped up, then doglegged to the left at the top. The pilot reported that he flew over the treetops and after he flared the airplane, it touched down and bounced. The pilot added power to counteract the bounce; however, it bounced a second time. The pilot then added full power to go around. While the airplane was still in ground effect, it crested the top of the upslope and a strong gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right directly toward a tree. The pilot added left rudder control in an attempt to avoid the tree; however, the outboard portion of the right wing impacted the tree. The airplane entered a sideways skid, touched down, and skidded for about 150 ft before it came to a stop. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Other weather encounter during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,700 hours in all; 349 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 18, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,614 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2020; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470 SERIES (piston); 2,795 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 10:00 pm
- Destination: LC0 Winifred MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 1,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from S71, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N185 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR20CA149.