Cessna 185 accident near Franklin, California, May 12, 2022
On May 12, 2022 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 185, registered N23FG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Franklin, California (Franklin Fld airport). It was a public-use flight (state) 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 of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2022 · about 8:45 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Franklin, California · Franklin Fld · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185, built 1980 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N23FG · registry record · serial 18504035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, the right wing lifted, and the airplane veered right. He attempted to initiate a rejected landing, but the airplane exited the runway onto the grass to the right of the runway. The left wing contacted the ground substantially damaging the left wing, left elevator and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,722 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,362 as pilot in command; 1,049 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 11, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-D (piston); 2,828 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAC Sacramento CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: F72 Elk Grove CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,123 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KSAC, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSAC 122053Z 20007KT 160V230 10SM OVC110 21/01 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP248 T02110011 58013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 3, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N23FG on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 185 Skywagon 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-D 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Franklin Field · nearest airport
- Sacramento Executive · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- California 27,673 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR22LA181.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.