- Date
- June 14, 1985, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kantishna, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N75LECessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19850614025899A
- Case key
- 4500
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt was on a flt from fairbanks to Kantishna, AK; however, the rwy at Kantishna was muddy, so he elected to return to fairbanks. While returning, he elected to land at an abandoned mine strip for a comfort stop. During the landing, a hydraulic line to the right brake failed & that brake became inop. The plt intentionally ground looped the acft to avoid a head-on collision with an embankment. However, the tail section hit the embankment causing substantial damage to the acft. The plt said the line was leaking before takeoff & he had tightened the fitting. He reported that the rigid line's flared end failed, permitting a rapid loss of pressure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75LE
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-0870
- Airframe hours
- 2,221
- Engine
- Continental IO-470, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ken R. Mendes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 14, 1985
- Departed
- 2Z5 · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- 5Z5 · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- Abandoned Mine Strip
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 365 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 80 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N75LE · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.