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
13 May 1971	Cessna 185 N185ML	29 Palms, California, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
11 May 1971	Cessna 185 N9962X	Brentwood, California, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
1 May 1971	Cessna 185 N4008Y	Parker, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
22 Apr 1971	Cessna 185 N9881X	Breezy Point, Minnesota, United States approximate position	Halvair	No injuries	-
6 Apr 1971	Cessna 185E N1628M	Lemoore, California, United States approximate position	West Haven Far	No injuries	-
26 Mar 1971	Cessna 185 N9832X	Roosevelt, Utah, United States approximate position	Flightaire	Serious injuries	-
12 Jan 1971	Cessna 185 N2285T	Barrow, Alaska, United States approximate position	Joseph Felder	Minor injuries	-
2 Jan 1971	Cessna 185 N9808X	Livermore Calif, California, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
27 Dec 1970	Cessna 185 N4710	Portland, Maine, United States approximate position	Air Maine Flyi	No injuries	-
9 Dec 1970	Cessna 185 N101LL	Buffalo, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
29 Nov 1970	Cessna 185A N3365L	Violet, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
27 Nov 1970	Cessna 185D N1512F	Lafayette, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Christensen DI	No injuries	-
26 Nov 1970	Cessna 185 N9974X	Glenallen, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
20 Nov 1970	Cessna 185 N9974X	Glenallen, Alaska, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
12 Nov 1970	Cessna 185A N4130Y	Nashua, New Hampshire, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
31 Oct 1970	Cessna 185 N1529F	Taft, California, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
27 Oct 1970	Cessna 185 N3539F	Metlakatla, Alaska, United States approximate position	T.m.odell	No injuries	-
6 Sep 1970	Cessna 185E N5812J	Summit, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
13 Aug 1970	Cessna 185 N9938B	Bowlng Green, Ohio, United States approximate position	Skylark Flyers	Minor injuries	-
17 Jul 1970	Cessna 185 N2579Z	Kenai, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
16 Jul 1970	Cessna 185 N2236T	Big Lake, Alaska, United States approximate position	Alaska Wing	No injuries	-
23 Jun 1970	Cessna 185A N4062Y	La Romana, Other-Foreign Countries not on the map	-	No injuries	-
19 Jun 1970	Cessna 185 N4521F	Glenn Allen, Alaska, United States not on the map	Martha H Garri	Serious injuries	-
8 Jun 1970	Cessna 185 N1523F	Ketchikan, Alaska, United States approximate position	Simpson Air SE	No injuries	-
5 May 1970	Cessna 185E N2269T	Hanobia, Oklahoma, United States not on the map	-	No injuries	-
2 May 1970	Cessna 185D N1541F	Orcas, Washington, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
20 Mar 1970	Cessna 185 N9844X	Corona, California, United States approximate position	Missionary AVI	No injuries	-
20 Feb 1970	Cessna 185 N9955X	San Diego, California, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
25 Jan 1970	Cessna 185 N2639Z	Blairstown, New Jersey, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
25 Dec 1969	Cessna 185 N4564F	Catahoula, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Franks Casing	No injuries	-
23 Dec 1969	Cessna 185 N4519F	North Bend, Washington, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
27 Nov 1969	Cessna 185A N4062Y	Hershey, Nebraska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
11 Nov 1969	Cessna 185 N32S	Morgan City, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Lamb Rental To	Minor injuries	-
1 Oct 1969	Cessna 185 N2210T	Juneau, Alaska, United States approximate position	Aftons Flying	No injuries	-
29 Sep 1969	Cessna 185 N9952X	West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
23 Sep 1969	Cessna 185 N9995X	Helena, Montana, United States approximate position	-	Serious injuries	-
11 Sep 1969	Cessna 185E N2531Q	Fairbanks, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
5 Aug 1969	Cessna 185 N5842T	Delacroix, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Pelican Aviati	No injuries	-
25 Jul 1969	Cessna 185 N5886T	Seward, Alaska, United States approximate position	Chitina Air SE	No injuries	-
14 Jun 1969	Cessna 185 N9816X	Kipnuk, Alaska, United States approximate position	Samuelson Flyi	Serious injuries	-
30 May 1969	Cessna 185 N2760J	Nimpo Lake, Canada not on the map	-	No injuries	-
11 May 1969	Cessna 185F N2269T	Bagnell, Missouri, United States approximate position	Geana Marina I	Minor injuries	-
30 Apr 1969	Cessna 185E N2294T	Mattituck, New York, United States approximate position	FW Bickford Co	No injuries	-
25 Apr 1969	Cessna 185B N2569Z	Santa Mnica, California, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
1 Mar 1969	Cessna 185 N9845X	Trout Lake, Washington, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
5 Feb 1969	Cessna 185E N1547F	Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
4 Feb 1969	Cessna 185 N9868X	Dillingham, Alaska, United States approximate position	Charles J Stov	No injuries	-
22 Dec 1968	Cessna 185 N9914X	Northway, Alaska, United States approximate position	Burtco Co., Inc	Minor injuries	-
13 Oct 1968	Cessna 185 N5700M	Veyo, Utah, United States approximate position	Baers Flying S	No injuries	-
6 Oct 1968	Cessna 185 N4005Y	Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-