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
6 Mar 1977	Cessna 185 N9885X	Lincoln, Nebraska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
2 Mar 1977	Cessna 185 N1750R	Big Delta, Alaska, United States approximate position	Frontier Flyin	No injuries	-
26 Feb 1977	Cessna 185F N4923C	Tooksook Bay, Alaska, United States approximate position	Delair Charter	No injuries	-
20 Feb 1977	Cessna 185 N412AM	Rexburg, Idaho, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
29 Jan 1977	Cessna 185 N3374R	Daisetta, Texas, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
26 Jan 1977	Cessna 185 N1828R	Mekoryuk, Alaska, United States approximate position	Cristensen Air	No injuries	-
23 Jan 1977	Cessna 185 N20786	Glenallen, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
17 Jan 1977	Cessna 185 N1730R	Aniak, Alaska, United States approximate position	Sea Airmotive	No injuries	-
4 Jan 1977	Cessna 185E N1204F	Clovis, New Mexico, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
20 Nov 1976	Cessna 185F N80136	North Pole, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
19 Nov 1976	Cessna 185 N3359L	Hyder, Alaska, United States approximate position	Todd Air Servi	No injuries	-
12 Nov 1976	Cessna 185 N53079	Wiseman, Alaska, United States approximate position	Frontier FL SV	No injuries	-
7 Nov 1976	Cessna 185 N1690Z	Ambler, Alaska, United States approximate position	Ambler Air SER	No injuries	-
3 Nov 1976	Cessna 185 N1517F	Newport, Maine, United States approximate position	Cianbro Corp.	No injuries	-
17 Oct 1976	Cessna 185F N1453F	Yakima, Washington, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
10 Oct 1976	Cessna 185 N5416R	Port Washingtn, New York, United States approximate position	Sea-Bee Enterp	No injuries	-
2 Oct 1976	Cessna 185 N2241T	Kipnuk, Alaska, United States approximate position	Delair Charter	No injuries	-
26 Sep 1976	Cessna 185 N1979U	Iliamna, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
22 Sep 1976	Cessna 185D N445J	Brooksville, Florida, United States approximate position	Chase Avia Co	No injuries	-
21 Sep 1976	Cessna 185 N9983X	Reno, Nevada, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Sep 1976	Cessna 185 N4923C	Bethel, Alaska, United States approximate position	Delair Charter	Serious injuries	-
20 Sep 1976	Cessna 185 N1084F	Aniak, Alaska, United States approximate position	Alaska Bush CA	No injuries	-
1 Sep 1976	Cessna 185 N1296F	Shovel Lake, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
28 Aug 1976	Cessna 185E N1694M	Wainwright, Alaska, United States approximate position	Arctic Guide A	No injuries	-
28 Aug 1976	Cessna 185 N53032	Iliamna, Alaska, United States approximate position	Big Reds Flyin	Minor injuries	-
26 Aug 1976	Cessna 185 N9942X	Ekalaka, Montana, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
16 Aug 1976	Cessna 185F N4308R	Cordova, Alaska, United States approximate position	Sea Airmotive	Minor injuries	-
10 Aug 1976	Cessna 185 N1322F	Tooksook Bay, Alaska, United States approximate position	Christensen AI	No injuries	-
8 Aug 1976	Cessna 185 N1855H	Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States approximate position	Lloyd F Hardie	No injuries	-
30 Jul 1976	Cessna 185 N3374R	Houston, Texas, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
25 Jul 1976	Cessna 185 N70206	Ketchikan, Alaska, United States approximate position	Revilla Flying	No injuries	-
6 Jul 1976	Cessna 185F N70487	Kaltag, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
5 Jul 1976	Cessna 185E N3351L	New York, New York, United States approximate position	Suburban Seapl	No injuries	-
1 Jul 1976	Cessna 185E N4557F	Gibralter Lake, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
1 Jul 1976	Cessna 185 N185ML	McGrath, Alaska, United States approximate position	George Homan	No injuries	-
22 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N2678S	Warroad, Minnesota, United States approximate position	Warroad Airway	No injuries	-
20 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N1145F	Merrill Pass, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
15 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N70148	Vakutat, Alaska, United States not on the map	Capital Air TA	No injuries	-
14 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N1096F	Devils Lake, North Dakota, United States approximate position	Kevin Frith	No injuries	-
12 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N1978U	Cantwell, Alaska, United States approximate position	A-1 Mobile HOM	Minor injuries	-
10 Jun 1976	Cessna 185 N1688R	Glasgow, Montana, United States approximate position	Zerbe Enterpri	No injuries	-
25 May 1976	Cessna 185D N5700M	Ashby, Nebraska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
29 Apr 1976	Cessna 185 N1468F	Renton, Washington, United States approximate position	Terry Const.co	No injuries	-
15 Apr 1976	Cessna 185 N70283	Glendive, Montana, United States approximate position	Albright's Fly	No injuries	-
2 Apr 1976	Cessna 185 N8767Z	Ketchikan, Alaska, United States approximate position	South Coast FO	No injuries	-
27 Mar 1976	Cessna 185 N4903C	Tyonek, Alaska, United States approximate position	Aurora Air SER	No injuries	-
18 Mar 1976	Cessna 185F N2530S	Resaca, Georgia, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
27 Feb 1976	Cessna 185 N1978U	Big Lake, Alaska, United States approximate position	A-1 Mobile HOM	No injuries	-
25 Feb 1976	Cessna 185 N181U	St Thomas, Virgin Islands, United States not on the map	-	Minor injuries	-
22 Feb 1976	Cessna 185 N4146C	Grangeville, Idaho, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-