Cessna 185 N4838C

Summary

On 7 September 1989 at about 01:30 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N4838C, operated by Warbelow, Charles, was involved in an accident near Tanacross, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 September 1989 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tanacross, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Tanacross (TSG)

Coordinates

63.3806, -143.3909

Aircraft

Cessna 185

Registration

N4838C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Warbelow, Charles

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Tok

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC89FA160

1 person died.

POOR JUDGEMENT BY THE PILOT BY BUZZING THE AIRPORT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S USE OF ABRUPT MANEUVERS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER RTRNG FM A HUNTING TRIP, THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO ANOTHER LOCATION. SOMEONE ASKED HIM IF IT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE TO FILM HIS TAKEOFF BY MOUNTING A CAMERA IN THE TAKEOFF AREA. THE PLT AGREED, BUT ELECTED TO USE THE TAXIWAY (TWY) TO FILM THE TAKEOFF. THE CAMERA WAS MOUNTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWY. AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF OVER THE CAMERA, HE TURNED BACK & FLEW ACROSS THE ARPT AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALT. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP CLIMBING TURN. ONE WITNESS SAID THE PLT THEN 'EXECUTED THE ONE-HALF ROLL TO THE RIGHT TO UPSIDE DOWN, TURN BACK AND DOWN . . . PARALLELTO THE LARGE RUNWAY.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE RUNWAY & BEGAN BURNING. IT WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT & FIRE.NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.