Cessna A185F N124KT
21 July 1993 · Denali Nat'l Pk, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 21 July 1993 at about 04:00 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N124KT, operated by James Okonek, was involved in an accident near Denali Nat'l Pk, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Denali Nat'l Pk, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 63.7792, -148.5196
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F
- Registration
- N124KT
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- James Okonek
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ruth Glacier → Talkeetna
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC93FA123
People
4 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
FUEL EXAUSTION DUE TO THE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: PRESSURE BY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE FLIGHT HAD LANDED AT THE 5,600-FT LEVEL OF RUTH GLACIER FOR A 20 MIN TOURIST STOPOVER. ANOTHER FLIGHT, FLOWN BY A COMPANY SENIOR PILOT, ALSO HAD LANDED. THE SENIOR PILOT NOTICED A FUEL TANK FILLER CAP HANGING LOOSE ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, AND THE TWO PILOTS MEASURED THE FUEL IN THE TANKS. ONE TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY. THE PILOTS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BE FLOWN OFF THE GLACIER 'TO VERIFY THE FUEL LEVEL ON THE GAUGES IN LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE, AND THAT IF HE (THE ACCIDENT PILOT) HAD ANY DOUBT ABOUT SUFFICIENT FUEL QUANTITY, TO RETURN (TO THE GLACIER) AND WE'D BRING HIM FUEL.' ABOUT 3 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE FLIGHT MADE A CRASH LANDING AT THE 2,800-FT ELEVATION. THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE PILOT TOLD THEM TO 'TIGHTEN (OR FASTEN) YOUR SEATBELTS' DURING THE ENGINE-OUT DESCENT. NO PASSENGER COULD RECALL KNOWING THAT IMPACT WAS IMMINENT. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY, AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED 2-5 GALS. A PASSENGER STATED THAT THE RIGHT TANK WAS INDICATING EMPTY ON THE TRIP TO THE GLACIER FROM TALKEETNA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna A185F accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Nov 1993 | Cessna A185F | Maybell, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jan 1993 | Cessna A185F | Inglewood, Washington, United States | Johnson, Everett H. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1993 | Cessna A185F | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Williamson, KEN R. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 1993 | Cessna A185F | Goose Bay, Alaska, United States | Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol | No injuries | - |
| 31 May 1993 | Cessna A185F | Kahiltna Glacie, Alaska, United States | Doug Geeting Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 27 May 1993 | Cessna A185F | Bellevue, Washington, United States | Lofgren, Loren R. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Aug 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Atigun Pass, Alaska, United States | Yutana Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Aug 1993 | De Havilland DHC-3 | Nikabuna Lake, Alaska, United States | Ketchum Air Service Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1993 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Iliamna, Alaska, United States | Rainbow King, Inc | Fatal | 3 |
| 2 Sep 1993 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Sanona Creek, Alaska, United States | Garfield, Wade E. | Fatal | 2 |
| 8 Sep 1993 | Interstate S-1B2 ARCTIC TERN | Talkeetna River, Alaska, United States | Franklin, Gary L. | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 1993 | Cessna 180 | Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States | Sixty-Thirty North | Serious injuries | - |