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.

103 of these records cannot be placed at all, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.

For 514 of them the NTSB recorded no coordinates, so their position on the map is approximate.

1,004

Records

Fatal

176

Deaths

Share fatal

1964 to 2025

Period

Show these on the map 901 of 1,004 can be placed (514 approximate)

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 Other-Foreign Countries 1

Operators involved

Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc. 5 Homer Air Serv 4 Frontier Flyin 4 Cape Smythe Air Service 3 Foster Aviatio 3 Delair Charter 3

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

Date	Aircraft	Location	Operator	Outcome	Died
2 Jul 1979	Cessna 185F N28JL	Lafayette, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Petco	No injuries	-
24 Jun 1979	Cessna 185 N4710Q	Madras, Oregon, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
9 Jun 1979	Cessna 185 N4328R	Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States approximate position	Flight Trainin	No injuries	-
24 May 1979	Cessna 185F N4663E	Morgan City, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Charlie Hammon	Minor injuries	-
19 May 1979	Cessna 185A N12NT	Venice, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
17 May 1979	Cessna 185 N4903C	Bellevue, Washington, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
11 May 1979	Cessna 185 N5877T	Lake Havasu, Arizona, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
6 May 1979	Cessna 185 N561MC	Jamaica, Atlantic Ocean North Lat. not on the map	-	No injuries	-
4 May 1979	Cessna 185F N93294	Anchorage, Alaska, United States approximate position	Ketchum Air SE	No injuries	-
22 Apr 1979	Cessna 185 N4924Q	Tolt Reservoir, Washington, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
28 Mar 1979	Cessna 185 N1095F	Bethal, Alaska, United States not on the map	Stanley Herman	No injuries	-
2 Mar 1979	Cessna 185A N70359	Plaquemine, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Mavco	No injuries	-
22 Feb 1979	Cessna 185 N1453Q	Kenai, Alaska, United States approximate position	Dicks Flying S	No injuries	-
21 Feb 1979	Cessna 185 N9003H	Oak Island, Minnesota, United States not on the map	Bernhardt Flyi	No injuries	-
14 Feb 1979	Cessna 185 N5172R	York, Nebraska, United States approximate position	DON MAR AV	No injuries	-
5 Feb 1979	Cessna 185 N80337	Cottonwood, Idaho, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
2 Feb 1979	Cessna 185E N70263	Cut Bank, Montana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
28 Jan 1979	Cessna 185 N21369	Point Hope, Alaska, United States approximate position	Cape Smythe AI	No injuries	-
30 Dec 1978	Cessna 185 N4544F	Deland, Florida, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
22 Dec 1978	Cessna 185 N2673Z	Key West, Florida, United States approximate position	C.n.dunn	Minor injuries	-
19 Dec 1978	Cessna 185 N2214T	Bethel, Alaska, United States approximate position	Samuelson Flyi	No injuries	-
3 Dec 1978	Cessna 185F N4876Q	Pacific Ocean, Pacific Ocean North Latitudes not on the map	Southern Cross	No injuries	-
29 Nov 1978	Cessna 185 N1583H	Shungnak, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
10 Nov 1978	Cessna 185A N4074Y	Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
8 Nov 1978	Cessna 185 N3489Y	Teller, Alaska, United States approximate position	Teller Air SER	No injuries	-
24 Oct 1978	Cessna 185F N5211R	Lafitte, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Coiled Tude Co	No injuries	-
20 Oct 1978	Cessna 185 N736ST	Iliamna, Alaska, United States approximate position	TED Gerkin	No injuries	-
14 Oct 1978	Cessna 185E N2750J	Anchorage, Alaska, United States approximate position	Totem Air Inc	Minor injuries	-
28 Sep 1978	Cessna 185 N4004Y	Pt Possession, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
19 Sep 1978	Cessna 185 N9868X	Cordova, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
17 Sep 1978	Cessna 185 N80330	Woodland, California, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
9 Sep 1978	Cessna 185 N5485R	Farewell, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
5 Sep 1978	Cessna 185F N8835T	Anchorage, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Aug 1978	Cessna 185 N93322	Montague Is, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
19 Aug 1978	Cessna 185 N2638Z	Juneau, Wisconsin, United States approximate position	Caldwell Lumbe	No injuries	-
15 Aug 1978	Cessna 185F N3RS	Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
12 Aug 1978	Cessna 185 N4532F	Cordova, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
23 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N94237	Oak Harbor, Washington, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N22901	St Albans, Vermont, United States approximate position	Mohawk Helicop	No injuries	-
20 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N94201	Green River, Utah, United States approximate position	Redtail Aviati	No injuries	-
19 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N22131	Big Delta, Alaska, United States approximate position	Alaska Aviatio	No injuries	-
11 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N5885T	Kotzebue, Alaska, United States approximate position	Maxson Auitio	Minor injuries	-
7 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N103AM	Venice, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Gulf Coast CNT	Serious injuries	-
7 Jul 1978	Cessna 185 N185SH	Unalakleet, Alaska, United States approximate position	Seward Pennins	No injuries	-
30 Jun 1978	Cessna 185F N93183	Scottsdale, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
26 Jun 1978	Cessna 185 N70018	Naknek, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
23 Jun 1978	Cessna 185 N1828R	Anchorage, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
23 Jun 1978	Cessna 185 N70010	Kaltag, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
20 Jun 1978	Cessna 185 N70286	Gulkana, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
17 Jun 1978	Cessna 185 N1QE	Lander, Wyoming, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-