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
12 May 1991	Cessna 185C N26792	New Hanover, Pennsylvania, United States no coordinates	John M. Ronalter	No injuries	-
27 Oct 1990	Cessna 185 N1555F	Ridgely, Maryland, United States	Armand Soucy	No injuries	-
7 Oct 1990	Cessna 185B N2525Z	Koyuktolik, Alaska, United States	Raven Air	No injuries	-
18 Sep 1990	Cessna 185 N70087	Upper Colleen, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
13 Sep 1990	Cessna 185 N4861Q	Talkeetna, Alaska, United States	-	Serious injuries	-
23 Aug 1990	Cessna 185 N185GJ	Nenana, Alaska, United States	Clifton, Jesse	No injuries	-
15 Aug 1990	Cessna 185B N2550Z	McGrath, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
8 Aug 1990	Cessna 185 N5246E	Talkeetna, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
2 Aug 1990	Cessna 185A N710	Americus, Georgia, United States no coordinates	GA Forestry Commission	No injuries	-
2 Jul 1990	Cessna 185 N53046	King Salmon, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
22 Jun 1990	Cessna 185-A N4145Y	Anchorage, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
17 Jun 1990	Cessna 185 N2797J	Chandler, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Mike Klawitter	No injuries	-
28 May 1990	Cessna 185 N520VA	Northway, Alaska, United States	Richard M Beathe	No injuries	-
24 May 1990	Cessna 185 N1095F	Uganik Bay, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Markair Express	No injuries	-
20 May 1990	Cessna 185F N1211F	Terra Bella, California, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
16 Apr 1990	Cessna 185E N2214T	Bethel, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
20 Mar 1990	Cessna 185 N4944E	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States	-	No injuries	-
21 Jan 1990	Cessna 185 N1802R	Willow, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
6 Jan 1990	Cessna 185 N9816X	Agua Dulce, California, United States	-	No injuries	-
15 Oct 1989	Cessna 185 N70022	Tuluksak, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
8 Oct 1989	Cessna 185F N7321H	Rockwood, Maine, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
30 Sep 1989	Cessna 185 N9706H	Shotgun Hills, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Gunder, Dennis	Serious injuries	-
29 Sep 1989	Cessna 185 N64399	Trading Bay, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Fontenot, Byran	No injuries	-
20 Sep 1989	Cessna 185 N4443R	Mulchatna River, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
23 Aug 1989	Cessna 185F N1562H	Fresno, California, United States	-	No injuries	-
6 Aug 1989	Cessna 185 N9823X	Durango, Colorado, United States no coordinates	Heath, Jack L.	No injuries	-
31 Jul 1989	Cessna 185D N1526F	Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, United States no coordinates	Raymond J. Descheneaux	No injuries	-
31 Jul 1989	Cessna 185 N4005Y	Tozitna River, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Wareham, Charles L.	Minor injuries	-
2 Jul 1989	Cessna 185 N1731R	Fishers, New York, United States no coordinates	Paul V. Hyland	No injuries	-
1 Jul 1989	Cessna 185 N75LE	Fairbanks, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
1 Jul 1989	Cessna 185F N6305E	Dillingham, Alaska, United States	Hotchkiss, LEE A.	No injuries	-
1 Jun 1989	Cessna 185F N9360N	Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
29 May 1989	Cessna 185F N1047F	Kahiltna Glac, Alaska, United States	Doug Geeting Aviation	No injuries	-
12 Apr 1989	Cessna 185 N9850X	Trinity Lake, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
26 Mar 1989	Cessna 185 N6166N	Everett, Washington, United States	-	No injuries	-
9 Mar 1989	Cessna 185E N70122	Alexander Lake, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
7 Mar 1989	Cessna 185 N9824X	Shell Lake, Alaska, United States no coordinates	James C. Knapp	No injuries	-
5 Mar 1989	Cessna 185 N79PK	Bellingham, Washington, United States	Reginald T. Pfeiffer	No injuries	-
10 Jan 1989	Cessna 185F N6420E	Juneau, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
21 Dec 1988	Cessna 185 N70087	Porcupine Lodge, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Yukon Air Service	No injuries	-
3 Dec 1988	Cessna 185 N6387	Hanson, Massachusetts, United States no coordinates	Enos Air Service	No injuries	-
4 Nov 1988	Cessna 185 N4023Y	Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, United States	Jeffery S. Amsler	Minor injuries	-
29 Sep 1988	Cessna 185F N4758E	Hillsboro, Oregon, United States	Bruce L. Carpernter	No injuries	-
23 Sep 1988	Cessna 185F N3815Q	Benson, Minnesota, United States	-	Minor injuries	-
21 Sep 1988	Cessna 185F N61500	Chip River, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Cape Smythe Air Service	No injuries	-
16 Sep 1988	Cessna 185 N73DA	McClaren River, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
28 Aug 1988	Cessna 185F N4838C	Joseph Village, Alaska, United States no coordinates	-	No injuries	-
20 Aug 1988	Cessna 185 N14407	Hillsboro, Oregon, United States	-	No injuries	-
20 Jul 1988	Cessna 185 N93769	Bettles, Alaska, United States	-	No injuries	-
16 Jul 1988	Cessna 185E N23FB	Lone Pine, California, United States	Scott, Mark J	No injuries	-