Cessna 185 accidents

The NTSB database holds 1,004 accidents and incidents involving the Cessna 185, recorded between 1964 to 2025. 83 of them were fatal (8%), and 176 people died.

The deadliest year was 1977, with 12 deaths.

The phase of flight recorded most often is landing (252 records).

Most of these records are from United States, Canada and Africa.

617 of these records have no coordinates in the source data, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.

1,004

Records

Fatal

176

Deaths

Share fatal

1964 to 2025

Period

Show these on the map 387 of 1,004 have coordinates

By decade

1960s 138

1970s 327

1980s 223

1990s 173

2000s 103

2010s 24

2020s 16

Where these happened

United States 979 Canada 5 Africa 3 Unknown/Not Reported 2 Colombia 2 Argentina 1

Operators involved

Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc. 5 Frontier Flyin 4 Homer Air Serv 4 Intracoastal S 3 Green River AV 3 Foster Aviatio 3

All 1,004 records by number of deaths, then by date

Date	Aircraft	Location	Operator	Outcome	Died
27 Sep 1985	Cessna 185 N9644H	San Juan Island, Washington, United States	-	No injuries	-
24 Aug 1985	Cessna 185 N7558H	Ancorage, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
2 Aug 1985	Cessna 185 N70008	Nome, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
17 Jul 1985	Cessna 185F N4309R	Boise, Idaho, United States	-	No injuries	-
8 Jul 1985	Cessna 185F N8700Z	Egegik, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
14 Jun 1985	Cessna 185 N75LE	Kantishna, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
11 May 1985	Cessna 185F N1062F	Talkeetna, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
7 May 1985	Cessna 185 N5313Y	Ketchikan, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
13 Apr 1985	Cessna 185 N4892E	Paulina, Oregon, United States	-	No injuries	-
3 Apr 1985	Cessna 185F N57PL	Jackson, Wyoming, United States	Petrol LOG, Inc.	No injuries	-
6 Dec 1984	Cessna 185 N4895C	Nome, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
18 Nov 1984	Cessna 185F N4845E	Glendale, Arizona, United States	-	No injuries	-
8 Nov 1984	Cessna 185C N5831T	Williston, North Dakota, United States	-	No injuries	-
29 Sep 1984	Cessna 185 N70123	Skwentna, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
21 Sep 1984	Cessna 185 N1688Z	Mt Plummer, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
3 Sep 1984	Cessna 185 N4839C	Cutler River, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	Serious injuries	-
1 Sep 1984	Cessna 185 N9712H	Kenai, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
22 Aug 1984	Cessna 185 N1980U	Akron, Colorado, United States	-	No injuries	-
11 Jul 1984	Cessna 185 N3263C	Bethel, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
14 Jun 1984	Cessna 185 N714HP	McCarthy, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	Minor injuries	-
3 Jun 1984	Cessna 185F N1790R	Anchorage, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
23 Apr 1984	Cessna 185 N9953N	Nogales, Arizona, United States	-	No injuries	-
18 Apr 1984	Cessna 185F N69GV	Belle Chasse, Louisiana, United States	Southern Seaplane Inc	Serious injuries	-
23 Feb 1984	Cessna 185C N2691Z	Spanish Fork, Utah, United States	-	No injuries	-
22 Feb 1984	Cessna 185F N4460R	Key West, Florida, United States	-	Serious injuries	-
17 Nov 1983	Cessna 185 N7318H	Gainesville, Florida, United States	-	No injuries	-
19 Oct 1983	Cessna 185 N60925	Key West, Florida, United States	George Delatorre	No injuries	-
29 Sep 1983	Cessna 185 N185JS	Fairbanks, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
18 Sep 1983	Cessna 185B N11LP	Orange, Massachusetts, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
14 Sep 1983	Cessna 185A N1688Z	Aniak, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
9 Sep 1983	Cessna 185 N93282	Kaktovik, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
24 Aug 1983	Cessna 185 SKYWAGON N8700Z	Petersburg, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
14 Aug 1983	Cessna 185E N4772Q	Boise, Idaho, United States no coordinates	Salmon Air Taxi	No injuries	-
1 Aug 1983	Cessna 185 N70498	Elyria, Ohio, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
12 Jul 1983	Cessna 185 N70059	Sleetmute, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
5 Jul 1983	Cessna 185 N4010Y	Mound Valley, Kansas, United States	William L. Paulding	No injuries	-
18 Jun 1983	Cessna 185 N3991Q	(N) Skwentna, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
15 Jun 1983	Cessna 185 FII N2762Q	Ryegrass Pass, Washington, United States	-	No injuries	-
14 Jun 1983	Cessna 185 N2565Z	Kenai, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
6 Jun 1983	Cessna 185 N4016Y	McAllen, Texas, United States	-	Serious injuries	-
6 Jun 1983	Cessna 185-E N1693M	Anchorage, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
4 May 1983	Cessna 185 N5222R	Gaylord, Michigan, United States	-	Serious injuries	-
23 Apr 1983	Cessna 185 N9824X	Anchorage, Alaska, United States	Robert C. Tears	No injuries	-
27 Mar 1983	Cessna 185F N61826	Int.coastal Cty, Louisiana, United States	-	No injuries	-
6 Feb 1983	Cessna 185 N61434	Jackson, Michigan, United States no coordinates	Roger Walch	No injuries	-
13 Jan 1983	Cessna 185 N2660S	Near Cordova, Alaska, United States	Kennedy Air Service	No injuries	-
6 Jan 1983	Cessna 185 N4924E	Togiak, Alaska, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
14 Dec 1982	Cessna 185A N4939Q	Sawmill Bay, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Chisum Flying Service	No injuries	-
2 Dec 1982	Cessna 185 N1829R	Venice, Louisiana, United States	Southern Seaplanes	No injuries	-
14 Nov 1982	Cessna 185 N8432Q	Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States	Dorr Aviation	No injuries	-