- Date
- November 8, 1984, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Williston, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5831TCessna 185C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841108074379A
- Case key
- 16599
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The acft collided with a bridge during an aborted takeoff after failing to get airborne. The plt aborted the takeoff butthe acft failed to stop in time to avoid a collision with a railroad bridge abutment made of concrete. The plt stated that the acft had been subjected to sub-freezing temps with water inside the pontoons. The swelling from the freezing water (ice) compromised the floats which developed leaks of severe nature; enough to allow the acft to sink in an EST two hours. The reason the acft did not sink when left unattented for 2 wks was because it was aground. When the plt pumped the water (no ice inside according to him) out and launched the acft he made no further pre-flt checks but immediately started a takeoff taxi.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5831T
- Reported as
- Cessna 185C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1850731
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rocjard Ziesmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Great Falls, MT
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,614 total · 1,396 in this make and model · 1,494 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ISN, 2 nm away
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 N5831T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.