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
Aug 23, 1992	WHITTIER, AK	N9829X	Fatal (4)	destroyed	PILOT IN COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR ADVERSE… PILOT IN COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR ADVERSE WEATHER ADVISORY, WEATHER CONDITIONS (CLOUDS) AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Jul 29, 1992	TERMO, CA	N22FG	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 01, 1992	EKUK, AK	N4874Q	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION ON THE SURFACE OF THE LANDING AREA.
Jun 21, 1992	SOLE LAKE, AK	N1589F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS. FACTOR WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND.
Jun 18, 1992	TALKEETNA, AK	N125KT	Incident	substantial	FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS INCLUDE TAILWHEEL VIBRATION/SHIMMY, AND AN INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP.
Jun 13, 1992	DURANGO, CO	N9823X	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER USE OF BRAKES. FACTORS WERE: POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND EXCESSIVE LANDING SPEED.
May 30, 1992	LONE PINE, CA	N3349L	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT DID NOT ABORT THE TAKEOFF IN TIME TO AVOID THE ON GROUND COLLISION WITH THE FENCE AND CREEK BANK.
May 24, 1992	KAHILTNA GLACIE, AK	N124KT	Incident	substantial	THE FRACTURE OF THE LANDING GEAR WHEEL SKI PIVOT SHAFT DUE TO IMPROPER MANUFACTURE.
May 09, 1992	RUTH GLACIER, AK	N1047F	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE P… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE CE-172 TO BECOME AWARE OF AND TO USE THE LISTED FREQUENCY FOR INTER AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATIONS, AND THE REDUCED VISUAL ACUITY OF THE CE-172 AGAINST THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN
Mar 08, 1992	BARROW, AK	N60945	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 19, 1992	PELICAN, AK	N4948Q	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GLARE FROM THE SUN.
Dec 27, 1991	STANLEY, ID	N113LC	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (SNOW COVERED RUNWAY) FOR LANDING RESULTING IN A NOSE OVER ON LANDING ROLLOUT.
Dec 14, 1991	KETCHIKAN, AK	N2212T	Fatal (1)	substantial	AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTORS INCLUDE A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND INADE… AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTORS INCLUDE A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR THE MANEUVER.
Sep 08, 1991	DULUTH, MN	N1637Z	Minor	substantial	PREMATURE TOUCHDOWN WHILE LANDING BY THE PIC/CFI. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND HAZE; WEATHER EVALUATION MISJUDGED BY … PREMATURE TOUCHDOWN WHILE LANDING BY THE PIC/CFI. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND HAZE; WEATHER EVALUATION MISJUDGED BY THE PIC/CFI; AND VISUAL OUTLOOK REDUCED.
Sep 06, 1991	AFTON, MN	N1074F	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT LOWERING OF THE WHEELS DURING THE WATER LANDING.
Sep 05, 1991	TALKEETNA, AK	N9974X	Incident	substantial	WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRPLANE CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNDRAFT AND UNFAVORABLE WIND.
Aug 29, 1991	CORDOVA, AK	N1296F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Aug 10, 1991	ANGOON, AK	N715V	Serious (1)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT'S INTENTIONAL ABRUPT MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND T… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT'S INTENTIONAL ABRUPT MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND THE FLAPS THAT RETRACTED A KNOTCH.
Jul 23, 1991	CLARKS POINT, AK	N6166N	Incident	substantial	THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE GROUND CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE DISC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IN… THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE GROUND CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE DISC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL GROUND LOOP OF THE AIRPLANE.
Jul 19, 1991	JAGO RIVER, AK	N1650Z	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WET SURFACE OF THE AIRSTRIP, TH… THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WET SURFACE OF THE AIRSTRIP, THE CURVE IN THE AIRSTRIP, AND THE VEGETATION WHICH COVERED THE ENTIRE AIRSTRIP.
Jul 13, 1991	WOOD RIVER, AK	N1689Z	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. SOFT SAND IN THE EMERGENCY L… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. SOFT SAND IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jul 06, 1991	VALDEZ, AK	N5081H	Minor	substantial	LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND.
Jul 03, 1991	FAREWELL, AK	N222WH	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE COLLAPSED LEFT MAIN … THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE COLLAPSED LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR, FAILED LEFT BRAKE, AND THE LOW LEVEL OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID.
May 25, 1991	STERLING, AK	N4649E	Serious (1)	—	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION.
May 12, 1991	SANFORD, ME	N1745R	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PROCEDURE BY NOT PLACING THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE TANK WITH THE MOST FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND A FORCED LANDING… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PROCEDURE BY NOT PLACING THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE TANK WITH THE MOST FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND A FORCED LANDING IN TREES.

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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