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 Aug 1966	Cessna 185A N169E	Boonville Ny, New York, United States approximate position	Morse Aero Inc	Minor injuries	-
25 Jul 1966	Cessna 185E N4552F	Moncks Corner Sc, South Carolina, United States approximate position	Canair Corpora	No injuries	-
21 Jul 1966	Cessna 185A N1656Z	Denver Colo, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
13 Jul 1966	Cessna 185 N2568Z	Millinocket Me, Maine, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
12 Jul 1966	Cessna 185 N4052Y	St.paul Minn, Minnesota, United States approximate position	Minn.conservat	No injuries	-
10 Jul 1966	Cessna 185 N1690Z	Houma la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Halo Inc	Minor injuries	-
7 Jul 1966	Cessna 185 N4527F	Osage Beach Mo, Missouri, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
5 Jul 1966	Cessna 185A N4053Y	Benghazi Libya, Africa not on the map	I.a.d.c.o.	No injuries	-
19 May 1966	Cessna 185 N685LA	North Pole Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Tide Air Inc.	No injuries	-
16 May 1966	Cessna 185 N9962X	Iliamna Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Barnetts Inc	Minor injuries	-
10 May 1966	Cessna 185 N9899X	Petersburg, Alaska, United States approximate position	Skagway Air SV	No injuries	-
2 May 1966	Cessna 185 N5892T	Anchorage Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	William Smith	No injuries	-
30 Apr 1966	Cessna 185 N2586Z	Lake George Ny, New York, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
5 Apr 1966	Cessna 185 N9922X	Lee Vining Calif, California, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
17 Mar 1966	Cessna 185 N1573F	Baton Rouge la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
12 Mar 1966	Cessna 185 N4031Y	Salt Lake City Ut, Utah, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
26 Feb 1966	Cessna 185C N2673Z	Morgan City la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Sun Oil Co	No injuries	-
19 Feb 1966	Cessna 185 N9950X	Stebbins Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Unalakleet Air	No injuries	-
16 Feb 1966	Cessna 185 N2531Z	Marion Ind, Indiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
13 Feb 1966	Cessna 185 N9966X	Bornite Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
3 Feb 1966	Cessna 185D N1512F	Bayou Sale la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
6 Dec 1965	Cessna 185B N2532Z	Orange Tex, Texas, United States approximate position	Trans-Gulf	No injuries	-
26 Oct 1965	Cessna 185C N5806T	Fenton Mo, Missouri, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
25 Sep 1965	Cessna 185 N5885T	Baton Rouge la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
27 Aug 1965	Cessna 185 N9852X	Fairbury Nebr, Nebraska, United States approximate position	Twin City Flys	No injuries	-
23 Aug 1965	Cessna 185 N9966X	Bettles Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
19 Aug 1965	Cessna 185 N1632Z	Suntrana Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Fairbanks Air	No injuries	-
29 Jul 1965	Cessna 185 N4133Y	Billings Mont, Montana, United States approximate position	Blain	No injuries	-
25 Jul 1965	Cessna 185A N4055Y	Livingston Mont, Montana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
15 Jul 1965	Cessna 185 N4105Y	Honolulu Hawaii, Hawaii, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
14 Jul 1965	Cessna 185 N1535F	Jackson Wyo, Wyoming, United States approximate position	Sportsaire Inc	Minor injuries	-
15 Jun 1965	Cessna 185S N4177Y	Cold Bay Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
18 May 1965	Cessna 185 N2689Z	Morgan City la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
20 Feb 1965	Cessna 185 N4164Y	Groveton Nh, New Hampshire, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
22 Dec 1964	Cessna 185 N9918X	Seldovia Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Cordova Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
17 Dec 1964	Cessna 185 N4105Y	Honolulu Hawaii, Hawaii, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
13 Dec 1964	Cessna 185 N2690Z	Buras la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	Minor injuries	-
11 Dec 1964	Cessna 185 N9918X	Homer Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Cordova Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
5 Dec 1964	Cessna 185 N9826X	Bethel Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
11 Sep 1964	Cessna 185 N1001N	Grand Isle Vt, Vermont, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Aug 1964	Cessna 185 N2689Z	Cypremort Pt la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
12 Jul 1964	Cessna 185 N9876X	Kotzebue Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
23 Jun 1964	Cessna 185 N9850X	Kodiak Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Jun 1964	Cessna 185 N40624	Denver Colo, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
17 Jun 1964	Cessna 185 N4033Y	Anchorage Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
13 May 1964	Cessna 185 N9950X	Anchorage Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
6 May 1964	Cessna 185 N9852X	Flint Mich, Michigan, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
21 Apr 1964	Cessna 185 N9962X	Iliamna Alas, Alaska, United States approximate position	-	No injuries	-
6 Apr 1964	Cessna 185 N2545Z	Bull River Alas, Alaska, United States not on the map	Wien Alaska Airlines, Inc.	No injuries	-
5 Apr 1964	Cessna 185 N9833X	Montauk N Y, New York, United States not on the map	-	Serious injuries	-