How many accidents has the Cessna 185 had?

The NTSB has recorded 476 events involving the Cessna 185: 43 fatal, 23 serious, 51 minor injuries, and 353 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 185 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 185 has 476 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 185 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 476 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

476

All Events

353

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (93 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Oct 22, 1995	YAKUTAT, AK	N4755Q	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in his failure (or inability) to maintain directional control of the airplane, while attempting… The pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in his failure (or inability) to maintain directional control of the airplane, while attempting to negotiate a bend (dog-leg) in the runway. Factors relating to the accident were: variable/gusty wind conditions, wet (grass) runway condition, and a bend (dog-leg) in the landing area.
Sep 14, 1995	PETERSBURG, AK	N90033	Fatal (2)	destroyed	The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed above the airplane's stall speed. The high terrain and low ceiling (clouds) were related factors.
Sep 04, 1995	SALEM, OR	N9222H	Minor	substantial	A LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Aug 15, 1995	TELLER, AK	N4145Y	Incident	substantial	DEFLATION OF THE LEFT MAIN TUNDRA TIRE DUE TO VALVE STEM DAMAGE (FAILURE) WHEN THE TIRE ROTATED INDEPENDENTLY OF THE WHEEL RIM, RESULTING IN LOSS OF D… DEFLATION OF THE LEFT MAIN TUNDRA TIRE DUE TO VALVE STEM DAMAGE (FAILURE) WHEN THE TIRE ROTATED INDEPENDENTLY OF THE WHEEL RIM, RESULTING IN LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND A GROUND SWERVE.
Jul 12, 1995	BETTLES, AK	N725	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE HEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE WATER DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GLAS… THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE HEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE WATER DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT RATE AT TOUCHDOWN.
Jul 01, 1995	TALKEETNA, AK	N555WK	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO ASSURE CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A … THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO ASSURE CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE UNFAVORABLE/GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Jun 29, 1995	FAIRBANKS, AK	N9667Q	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES TO NOT EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR DURING A WATER LANDING DUE TO HABIT INTERFERENCE.
May 26, 1995	TALKEETNA, AK	N1047F	Minor	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE SNOW CONDITIONS AT THE SITE. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT IS THE SOFT SNOW IN THE TAKE… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE SNOW CONDITIONS AT THE SITE. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT IS THE SOFT SNOW IN THE TAKEOFF AREA.
Apr 30, 1995	KETCHIKAN, AK	N111EZ	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT WATER LOOP/SWERVE DUE TO THE USE OF IMPROPER LANDING PROCEDURES.
Apr 24, 1995	BANGOR, ME	N62EC	Incident	substantial	the pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the right main gear.
Mar 31, 1995	TEGUCIGALPA, HO	FAH12	Incident	—	Investigation pending
Mar 17, 1995	BAUDETTE, MN	N714MX	Incident	substantial	an encountered with a hidden obstruction during taxi. A factor was the ski assembly not having been installed.
Mar 04, 1995	PORT ALSWORTH, AK	N6166N	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Feb 06, 1995	MCCALL, ID	N9CR	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFT-OFF DURING THE TAKEOFF, LEADING TO AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO … THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFT-OFF DURING THE TAKEOFF, LEADING TO AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO PERFORM A FORMATION TAKEOFF.
Feb 01, 1995	W.POINT VILLAGE, AK	N1095F	Incident	substantial	A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE REMEDIAL REACTION AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE A… A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE REMEDIAL REACTION AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT MAKE AND MODEL WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Dec 22, 1994	LONG BEACH, CA	N101LL	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft both during the landing and the attempted rejected landing maneuver.
Dec 12, 1994	TAKOTNA, AK	N4552F	Serious (1)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING FOR THE DEPARTURE. A SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, FLAT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND A SNOWBANK WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCI… THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING FOR THE DEPARTURE. A SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, FLAT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND A SNOWBANK WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Nov 19, 1994	ANCHORAGE, AK	N9618H	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF A NOTAM THAT CLOSED THE RUNWAY AND A SLUSH COVERED RUNWAY AREA WERE… THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF A NOTAM THAT CLOSED THE RUNWAY AND A SLUSH COVERED RUNWAY AREA WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Nov 03, 1994	ELIZABETHTON, TN	N6688H	Incident	substantial	THE FLEXING OF THE RUDDER PEDAL CONTROL LOCKING ASSEMBLY WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE CO-PILOT'S LEFT PEDAL DURING HEAVY BRAKING.
Oct 14, 1994	APPLE VALLEY, CA	N9497N	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Oct 09, 1994	ROCHESTER, MA	N53074	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadeqaute calculation of fuel and inadeqaute inflight decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Oct 06, 1994	ABBEVILLE, LA	N95DM	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Jul 05, 1994	PALOUSE, WA	N5833T	Fatal (1)	substantial	THE INADVERTENT DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT AFTER ENTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FOG WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jul 02, 1994	JUNEAU, AK	N1470Q	Incident	—	THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO EXERCISE HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE EACH AIRCRAFT ADJUST ITS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OTHER, AND THE F… THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO EXERCISE HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE EACH AIRCRAFT ADJUST ITS FLIGHTPATH TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OTHER, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 185 TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE BOEING 737.
Jun 08, 1994	KASSAN BAY, AK	N4471R	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND. FACTORS WERE THE ROUGH WATER AND THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Cessna 185 Safety Record

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