- Date
- August 12, 2018, 07:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brooks Range, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N62882Cessna 185
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180812010979A
- Case key
- 98069
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The airplane's encounter with downdraft conditions during takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of altitude and collision with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he took off from an off-airport unimproved, gravel surface. He recalled that the airplane climbed to about 300 ft before it encountered a "severe downdraft." The airplane subsequently descended and impacted a creek bed, and the main landing gear separated from the airframe. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the foremost fuselage bulkhead and stringers. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind at the accident site was from 230° at 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots and that he was landing to the southwest.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he took off from an off-airport unimproved gravel surface. He recalled that the airplane climbed and was airborne for about 300ft before it encountered a "severe downdraft." The airplane impacted a creek bed and the main landing gear separated from the airframe. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the foremost fuselage bulkhead and stringers. The pilot reported that the wind at the accident site was from 230 degrees at 25 knots with gusts to 30 knots, and that he was landing to the southwest. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62882
- Reported as
- Cessna 185 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-0784
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 3,162.4
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- None
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 15, 2017
- Departed
- Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Brooks Range, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 9,087 total · 550 in this make and model · 7,461 as pilot in command · 210 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFM, 79 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.