Cessna 185 N4552F
12 December 1994 · Takotna, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 December 1994 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N4552F was involved in an accident near Takotna, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and one was 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 15:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Takotna, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Takotna (TCT)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185
- Registration
- N4552F
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → McGrath
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC95LA017
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING FOR THE DEPARTURE. A SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, FLAT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND A SNOWBANK WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING A REMOTE AIRPORT AS A CONTINUING PORTION OF AN ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS. THE 1,717 FEET LONG RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH 4 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND THE PERIMETER OF THE RUNWAY HAD SNOW BANKS ALONG THE EDGES AND ENDS. THE PILOT BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND LIFTED OFF ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. FLAT LIGHTING CONDITIONS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH THE RUNWAY BOUNDARIES FROM THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY NEAR THE DEPARTURE END AND STRUCK A 2 FOOT HIGH SNOW BERM AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED TOWARD LOWER TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 185 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Nov 1994 | Cessna 185F | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 1994 | Cessna 185 | Abbeville, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1994 | Cessna 185F | Rochester, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 1994 | Cessna 185 | Apple Valley, California, United States | Calif. Highway Patrol | Unknown | - |
| 22 Dec 1994 | Cessna 185A | Long Beach, California, United States | Robert J. van Horn | No injuries | - |
| 3 Nov 1994 | Cessna 185 | Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,004 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Gulkana, Alaska, United States | Maynard, Roger L. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-12 | Nondalton, Alaska, United States | Alaska Safari, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Cessna 140 | Willow, Alaska, United States | Moore, Charles D. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States | 4W Air | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18 | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | Hulbert, Ward A. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1994 | Cessna 182B | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Charlton, Albert J. | No injuries | - |