# Accident 20180812010979A: Cessna 185D, Ambler, AK, August 12, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 12, 2018, 07:00 local time
- Place: Ambler, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 67.2392° N, 152.2705° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=67.2392&lon=-152.2705&mi=10
- Aircraft: N62882, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62882-2019-02-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 185D (registry code 2072812, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 185D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 9,087 total, 550 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA488](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA488) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180812010979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 12 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 ALASKA TIME, PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FROM A GRAVEL BAR NEXT TO THE NIGU RIVER 92 MILES NORTHEAST OF AMBLER ALASKA.  IT WAS A CLEAR DAY WITH A BREEZE ACROSS THE GRAVEL BAR.  AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF IN A SOUTHWESTERN DIRECTION.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST LIFTED OFF AND HAD TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN LOST ALTITUDE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT HIT IN AN AREA THAT IS ROUGH AND UNEVEN WITH ROCKS.  THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS FOLDED.  THE AIRCRAFT LOWER FUSELAGE, ENGINE COWLING, AND PROPELLER SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM IMPACTING THE GROUND.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA18CA488](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA488), Aug 12, 2018: Cessna 185 (N62882), Brooks Range, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane's encounter with downdraft conditions during takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of altitude and collision with terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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