# NTSB ANC26LA032: Cessna A185F, N92DC, Aniak, AK, April 24, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: April 24, 2026, 10:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place: Aniak, AK
- Coordinates: 61.58014, -159.54309
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5801&lon=-159.5431&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202882
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC26LA032
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202882/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA032

## Preliminary report

On April 24, 2026, about 1045 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N92DC, was substantially damaged in an accident at Aniak Airport (ANI), Aniak, Alaska. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight was being operated as a business flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, the airplane was departing from a rough, uneven, snow and tundra-covered site when, just before becoming airborne, the left wheel/ski assembly separated from the main landing gear (MLG) leg. Although the assembly detached from the gear leg, it remained connected to the airplane by the wheel/ski cable system. After confirming that the airplane remained controllable, the pilot elected to continue to Aniak Airport and perform an emergency landing where emergency response personnel and resources were available. While en route, he maintained a very low airspeed to prevent the dangling wheel/ski assembly from striking the wing lift strut. During the emergency landing at Aniak Airport, the left MLG leg contacted the gravel-covered runway, causing the airplane to pitch forward abruptly and overturn. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. See figure 1. Figure 1. Accident airplane following emergency landing. (Aniak Airport Operations Photo) On July 8, after the airplane wreckage was recovered to Wasilla, Alaska, a portion of the fractured spring-steel MLG leg was harvested from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for examination. The results of that examination are pending.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N92DC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N92DC), registered now, S/N 18502828, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18502828
- Year built: 1975
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: N/A, Remote Strip, AK
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: ANI, Aniak, runway 11, 6,200 × 100 ft, gravel

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observed at: PANI
- METAR: METAR PANI 241756Z AUTO 14012KT 10SM BKN050 04/01 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP099 60001 T00390006 10039 20011 51012 $

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260424006139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260424006139A), Apr 24, 2026: Cessna A185F, Aniak, AK, Substantial damage. According to the pilot the left wheel-ski snapped the left axle upon take off at 10:15 am. The pilot elected to continue on to the aircraft final destination…

## Other investigations on N92DC (1)

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

- [NTSB ANC17LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA052), Aug 18, 2017: Cessna A185 (N92DC), Aniak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect a crack in the propeller blade, which led to the separation of a section of a propeller blade due to fatigue.

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

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