Cessna A185F accident near Friday Habor, Washington, July 28, 2023
On July 28, 2023, a 1975 Cessna A185F, registered N185GG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Friday Habor, Washington (Friday Harbor 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 loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2023 · cases in 2023
- Place
- Friday Habor, Washington · Friday Harbor Airport · 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 A185F, built 1975 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185GG · registry record · serial 18502787
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, the airplane bounced during touchdown on a 3-point landing. The pilot elected to not correct with power or to execute a go-around. During the second touchdown, he was unable to arrest the airplane veering to the right and ground looped. The airplane exited the runway and the left gear collapsed. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported 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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,631 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,414 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D24M (piston); 929 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,402 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KFHR
Weather report (METAR): KFHR 280053Z AUTO 25005KT 10SM CLR 21/13 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02110128 $
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 2, 2023. 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 | Photos | 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.
Other NTSB records under N185GG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N185GG on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna A185 Skywagon 1,373 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,676 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D24M 9,482 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Friday Harbor Airport · nearest airport
- Boeing Fld/King County International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,664 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N185GG 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR23LA291.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.