Cessna 185 Skywagon
227 on the U.S. register across 7 versions the FAA records separately. Built from 1961 to 1981; half of them date from 1962 or earlier. Alaska has the most (66). 29% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals, who are not named here at this time.
About the 185 from the FAA's model table
- Type
- Fixed-wing, single engine · Piston singles
- Power
- Piston (reciprocating), 1 engine
- Common engines
- Cont Motor I0-470 Series (139), Cont Motor Io 520 Series (28), Cont Motor Io-470 Ser (23)
- Seats
- 6
- Cruise speed
- about 125 mph
- Built of
- aluminium
- Maker on the register
- Cessna
- Registered
- earliest certificate May 4, 1978; newest October 23, 2026
Where they are owner's state
Who owns them registrant type
By owner type, as a table
| aircraft | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 138 | 61% |
| LLC | 41 | 18% |
| Co-owned | 24 | 11% |
| Corporation | 19 | 8% |
| Partnership | 3 | 1% |
| Government | 2 | 0.9% |
Versions as the FAA records them · click one to list only those aircraft
When they were built by decade · 39 with no year on file
Registration status
By status, as a table
| aircraft | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | 226 | 100% |
| Sale reported | 1 | 0.4% |
Airworthiness certificate class
By airworthiness certificate, as a table
| aircraft | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 185 | 81% |
| Multiple | 18 | 8% |
| Restricted | 13 | 6% |
| None on file | 9 | 4% |
| Experimental | 2 | 0.9% |
Biggest operators companies, schools and clubs
Largest fleets, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Wrangell Mountain Air INC | 2 |
| Salter 11X LLC | 2 |
| Windblown Ranch INC | 1 |
| Wattum Investments LLC | 1 |
| Vfr LTD | 1 |
| Vertical Horizon Aviation LLC | 1 |
| Vertex Aviation LLC | 1 |
| Van Treese Kole S | 1 |
| Usda Forest Service Fepp | 1 |
| Top Hand INC | 1 |
| Thinair Ventures LLC | 1 |
| T&R Airplane LLC | 1 |
Fleet pages: Wrangell Mountain Air INC · Wattum Investments LLC · Vfr LTD · Vertical Horizon Aviation LLC · Usda Forest Service Fepp · Top Hand INC
Accident history NTSB records · 472 cases since 1982, 45 fatal
The 8 most recent of 472 cases where the NTSB's make and model match this family's versions. Each aircraft's own page also shows its record. How this model compares with others, with the fleet taken into account: Accidents by model in Aviation Analytics.
Questions people ask answers refresh every morning
How many Cessna 185 Skywagon aircraft are registered in the U.S.?
227 as of October 26, 2026, counting 7 versions the FAA records separately.
Which state has the most Cessna 185s?
Alaska, with 66.
Who owns the Cessna 185?
29% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals and co-owners, who are not named on this site at this time.
When were the Cessna 185s on the register built?
Between 1961 and 1981; half of them in 1962 or earlier.
How many Cessna 185 accidents has the NTSB recorded?
472 accidents and incidents since 1982, 45 of them fatal. A model flown more shows more; the accident analytics compare models per thousand registered.
What is the Cessna 185 made of?
The airframe is aluminium: sheet metal over a riveted frame, the way most aircraft have been built since the 1940s. The FAA's type certificate data sheet is the authority for any one model.
What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Cessna 185 the component layer
The airframe is aluminium: sheet metal over a riveted frame, the way most aircraft have been built since the 1940s. The FAA has issued 31 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this model, most of them about engine. Operators and repair shops have filed 69 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 6 of them in the last ten years: about 0.7 a year for every 100 aircraft on the register; the system most often named is propeller. 338 approved modifications exist for it, the most by Aviation Products, INC.
FAA orders 31 airworthiness directives · newest first
All orders naming the Cessna 185
By system
Orders by system, as a table
| orders | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6 | 19% |
| Airframe structure | 5 | 16% |
| Instruments and avionics | 4 | 13% |
| Other and general | 3 | 10% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 10% |
| Cabin, seats and restraints | 3 | 10% |
| Landing gear | 2 | 6% |
| Flight controls | 2 | 6% |
Failure reports 69 since 1995 · what operators and shops told the FAA
Failure reports by year, as a table
| reports | |
|---|---|
| 95 | 10 |
| 96 | 11 |
| 97 | 5 |
| 98 | 4 |
| 99 | 2 |
| 00 | 11 |
| 01 | 3 |
| 02 | 1 |
| 03 | 1 |
| 05 | 1 |
| 06 | 10 |
| 07 | 3 |
| 09 | 1 |
| 15 | 2 |
| 19 | 1 |
| 20 | 1 |
| 21 | 2 |
By system
Failure reports by system, as a table
| reports | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Propeller | 16 | 23% |
| Engine | 14 | 20% |
| Landing gear | 13 | 19% |
| Flight controls | 10 | 14% |
| Fuel system | 6 | 9% |
| Airframe structure | 6 | 9% |
| Electrical power | 2 | 3% |
| Instruments and avionics | 1 | 1% |
Parts most often reported as the reports name them
Parts most reported, as a table
| reports | |
|---|---|
| Control Cable | 7 |
| Blade | 6 |
| Bracket | 4 |
| Magneto | 4 |
| Ferrule | 2 |
| Fuel Cap | 2 |
| Hub | 2 |
| Nut | 2 |
| Rib | 2 |
| Spar | 2 |
Latest reports
Approved replacement parts 977 parts manufacturer approvals
Parts a company other than the maker may make for this design and sell as FAA-approved. The companies holding the most:
Most often: panel mount (49), vhf panel (37), cessna (33), alternator (27), brake disc (21), baffle (17), wing tip (16), heat shield (16), starter cable (13), stack (12).
Approved modifications 338 supplemental type certificates
Changes the FAA has approved for this design, from new avionics and engines to floats and parachutes. The companies holding the most:
Latest
Certificates and bulletins
Safety bulletins 13 · advice, not orders
Sources: the FAA's type certificate data sheets, airworthiness directives, supplemental type certificates, special conditions and special airworthiness information bulletins (Dynamic Regulatory System), and the FAA's service difficulty reports. A failure report is what an operator or repair station chose to file; the counts show reporting as much as reliability, and larger and commercial fleets report more. How the systems are grouped.
Connections how the 185 links to the rest of the register
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Cessna 185 98 registered
- Cessna 185A 48 registered
- Cessna 185D 30 registered
- Cessna 185C 22 registered
- Cessna 185B 14 registered
- Cessna 185E 14 registered
- 1 more versions
- Built of aluminium
- Continental IO-470 series 162 of these aircraft · 260 hp
- Continental IO-520 series 28 of these aircraft · 285 hp
- Continental IO-520-D 7 of these aircraft · 300 hp
- Continental IO-470-F 3 of these aircraft · 260 hp
- Continental O-470 series 3 of these aircraft · 230 hp
- Alaska 66 of these aircraft
- Washington 18 of these aircraft
- Montana 17 of these aircraft
- Texas 12 of these aircraft
- Minnesota 10 of these aircraft
- Wrangell Mountain Air INC 2 of these aircraft
- Salter 11X LLC 2 of these aircraft
- Windblown Ranch INC 1 of these aircraft
- Wattum Investments LLC 1 of these aircraft
- Vfr LTD 1 of these aircraft
- NTSB accidents and incidents involving the 185 472 cases since 1982 · 45 fatal
- FAA filings this year on these aircraft 4 filings · 2 loan release, 2 bill of sale
- FAA orders naming the 185 31 airworthiness directives
- Failure reports filed on the 185 69 reports since 1995
- Approved modifications for the 185 338 supplemental type certificates
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/model/cessna/185.json.
Aircraft newest certificates first · 227
| Tail no. | Maker and model | Owner and base | Certificate | Registered | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1628Z | Cessna 185A |
Vertex Aviation LLC Kodiak, Alaska |
Multiple | 2026-10-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5806T | Cessna 185C |
Swaz Aviation LLC Mesa, Arizona |
Standard | 2026-09-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N73DA | Cessna 185 |
Flying Alaska LLC Anchorage, Alaska |
Standard | 2026-08-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185RA | Cessna 185 |
A-T Enterprises LTD Three Forks, Montana |
Standard | 2026-08-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1534F | Cessna 185D |
Individual owner Montana |
Standard | 2026-07-19 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1531F | Cessna 185D |
Wrangell Mountain Air INC Palmer, Alaska |
Restricted | 2026-05-13 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N345BB | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Minnesota |
Standard | 2026-03-31 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9834X | Cessna 185 |
Co-owned owner Washington |
Standard | 2026-03-29 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185RH | Cessna 185A |
Southern Aircraft Consultancy INC Trustee Casper, Wyoming |
Standard | 2026-01-28 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185MK | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Texas |
Standard | 2026-01-06 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1689Z | Cessna 185A |
T&R Airplane LLC Big Lake, Alaska |
Standard | 2025-11-06 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N389BH | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Illinois |
Multiple | 2025-08-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1678Z | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Georgia |
Standard | 2025-05-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185GC | Cessna 185D |
Chennault Flying Services LLC Colorado Springs, Colorado |
Standard | 2025-05-13 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2569Z | Cessna 185B |
Eitilt Aviation LLC Parker, Colorado |
Standard | 2025-05-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N331DF | Cessna 185 |
Dc-3 Pro Services LLC Hailey, Idaho |
Multiple | 2025-04-11 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N11669 | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2025-03-12 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9944X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Montana |
Standard | 2025-03-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9998X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Georgia |
Standard | 2024-09-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9909X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Georgia |
Standard | 2024-07-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4057Y | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2024-06-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9922X | Cessna 185 |
Dooleys LLC Glendale, Arizona |
Standard | 2024-06-22 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N99HP | Cessna 185C |
Individual owner Colorado |
Standard | 2024-06-08 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5895T | Cessna 185D |
Heligray LLC Kalispell, Montana |
Standard | 2024-04-26 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N969KM | Cessna 185 |
Sk Aircraft LLC Anchorage, Alaska |
Experimental | 2024-04-19 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9867X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2024-03-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N8541L | Cessna 185 |
Great Basin Aviation LLC Eagle River, Alaska |
Standard | 2024-03-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9845X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Washington |
Standard | 2024-02-06 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185QB | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2024-01-21 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9879X | Cessna 185 |
Standard | 2024-01-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes | |
| N9832X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-12-18 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1650Z | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Michigan |
Restricted | 2023-12-12 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N907EE | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Colorado |
Standard | 2023-10-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9875X | Cessna 185 |
Co-owned owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-10-13 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5011X | Cessna 185 |
Pro Air LLC Alexandria, Louisiana |
Standard | 2023-09-28 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9828X | Cessna 185 |
Pathfinder Aero Services LLC Sheridan, Wyoming |
Multiple | 2023-09-21 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9999X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Restricted | 2023-09-15 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N914HS | Cessna 185A |
His Wings Air Service INC Hyder, Alaska |
None on file | 2023-08-28 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5813T | Cessna 185C |
Individual owner Massachusetts |
Standard | 2023-08-21 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N969WM | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Arkansas |
Standard | 2023-08-18 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4169Y | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Washington |
Standard | 2023-07-26 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N75LE | Cessna 185D |
Withheld at owner's request | Standard | 2023-05-29 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9988X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-05-17 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2517Z | Cessna 185B |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-04-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N685LA | Cessna 185D |
Co-owned owner California |
Standard | 2023-04-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185CQ | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-03-15 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9890X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2023-03-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N327K | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner District of Columbia |
None on file | 2023-02-17 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N922M | Cessna 185D |
Airline Maintenance Service INC Nashville, Tennessee |
Standard | 2023-02-11 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185TA | Cessna 185D |
Dash Aero LLC Lewes, Delaware |
Standard | 2023-01-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N58302 | Cessna 185E |
Individual owner Oregon |
Standard | 2023-01-26 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9979X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Montana |
Standard | 2022-12-28 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9854X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2022-11-30 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185FC | Cessna 185E |
Alaska Dream Center Wasilla, Alaska |
Restricted | 2022-11-15 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185YT | Cessna 185 |
Sutton Aircraft Salvage LLC Palmer, Alaska |
Standard | 2022-11-01 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9930X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Iowa |
Standard | 2022-10-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N34VV | Cessna 185 |
Wattum Investments LLC Kodiak, Alaska |
Standard | 2022-09-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1688Z | Cessna 185A |
Co-owned owner Arizona |
Standard | 2022-09-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N29972 | Cessna 185 |
Windblown Ranch INC Echo, Oregon |
Standard | 2022-06-17 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N481U | Cessna 185 |
Salter 11X LLC Duluth, Minnesota |
None on file | 2022-06-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1508F | Cessna 185D |
Individual owner Florida |
Standard | 2022-01-24 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N141H | Cessna 185A |
Sss INC Anchorage, Alaska |
None on file | 2022-01-11 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N186X | Cessna 185A |
Haldeman Hangars LLC Vancouver, Washington |
Experimental | 2021-10-07 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185G | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Utah |
Standard | 2021-09-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N88016 | Cessna 185 |
Mark Cochran Leasing LLC Pullman, Washington |
Standard | 2021-09-02 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2221Z | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Maine |
Standard | 2021-07-24 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4154Y | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Montana |
Restricted | 2021-06-11 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1554F | Cessna 185D |
November 1554 Foxtrot LLC Wilmington, Delaware |
Restricted | 2021-06-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9873X | Cessna 185 |
Mckenna Brothers Aircraft LLC Anchorage, Alaska |
Standard | 2021-05-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9943X | Cessna 185 |
N63E LLC Fallon, Nevada |
Standard | 2021-05-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N169TF | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2021-04-26 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1646Z | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2021-04-10 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N78DE | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Washington |
None on file | 2021-04-08 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2638Z | Cessna 185B |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2021-03-17 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9855X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Alaska |
Multiple | 2021-01-23 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1699Z | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Oregon |
Standard | 2021-01-20 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N185U | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Texas |
Standard | 2021-01-19 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1523F | Cessna 185D |
Gray Rex Lee Palmer, Alaska |
Multiple | 2021-01-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1517F | Cessna 185D |
Salter 11X LLC Duluth, Minnesota |
Standard | 2020-12-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N1557F | Cessna 185D |
Individual owner Maine |
Standard | 2020-11-10 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2554Z | Cessna 185B |
Co-owned owner Alaska |
Standard | 2020-10-24 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9939X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Texas |
Multiple | 2020-10-14 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N520KW | Cessna 185E |
Co-owned owner Maine |
Standard | 2020-09-10 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N850WB | Cessna 185E |
Individual owner Arizona |
Multiple | 2020-09-01 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N26RH | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Washington |
Multiple | 2020-07-22 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5815T | Cessna 185C |
Individual owner California |
Standard | 2020-07-09 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N406AH | Cessna 185A |
International Air Services INC Trustee Carson City, Nevada |
Standard | 2020-07-08 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N147SH | Cessna 185D |
Individual owner North Carolina |
None on file | 2020-07-02 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5892T | Cessna 185D |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2020-06-29 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4107Y | Cessna 185A |
Co-owned owner Washington |
Standard | 2020-04-10 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4076Y | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Nevada |
Standard | 2020-03-12 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N9965X | Cessna 185 |
Individual owner Montana |
Restricted | 2020-02-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N292PZ | Cessna 185A |
Individual owner Alabama |
Standard | 2020-01-07 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4061Y | Cessna 185A |
Withheld at owner's request | Restricted | 2019-11-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N5803T | Cessna 185C |
D&R Aviation LLC Calhoun, Georgia |
None on file | 2019-10-22 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N853PM | Cessna 185A |
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago Spokane, Washington |
None on file | 2019-08-21 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4014Y | Cessna 185 |
Fogglifter LLC Mccall, Idaho |
Standard | 2019-06-20 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N2525Z | Cessna 185B |
Individual owner Alaska |
Standard | 2019-06-11 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4037Y | Cessna 185 |
Vfr LTD Wilmington, Delaware |
Standard | 2019-06-06 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N4024Y | Cessna 185 |
JR Aviation LLC Temple, Texas |
Standard | 2019-05-24 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
