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
May 12, 1991	NEW HANOVER, PA	N26792	Incident	substantial	THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING A CROSSWIND TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT … THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING A CROSSWIND TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.
Oct 27, 1990	RIDGELY, MD	N1555F	Incident	destroyed	THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Oct 07, 1990	KOYUKTOLIK, AK	N2525Z	Incident	substantial	PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A STABILIZED APPROACH TO THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCESSIVE AI… PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A STABILIZED APPROACH TO THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCESSIVE AIRPSEED MAINTAINED DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING.
Sep 18, 1990	UPPER COLLEEN, AK	N70087	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SELECT SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Sep 13, 1990	TALKEETNA, AK	N4861Q	Serious (1)	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL OR MUSH.
Aug 23, 1990	NENANA, AK	N185GJ	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT, DUE TO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN.
Aug 15, 1990	MCGRATH, AK	N2550Z	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE LEFT INSIDE WHEEL BEARING, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Aug 08, 1990	TALKEETNA, AK	N5246E	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SPRING UPON LANDING.
Aug 02, 1990	AMERICUS, GA	N710	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 02, 1990	KING SALMON, AK	N53046	Incident	substantial	TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE PISTON ROD ASSEMBLIES.
Jul 02, 1990	ILIAMNA, AK	N185KA	Fatal (2)	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES (EXCESSIVE FLAPS); FAILURE TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT LI… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES (EXCESSIVE FLAPS); FAILURE TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT LIMITATIONS; IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM SAFE FLYING SPEED, RESULTING IN A STALL/MUSH.
Jun 22, 1990	ANCHORAGE, AK	N4145Y	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR TORQUE PLATE CAUSING AN UNCONTROLLABLE LANDING ROLL OUT.
Jun 17, 1990	CHANDLER, AK	N2797J	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.
May 28, 1990	NORTHWAY, AK	N520VA	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE POST-LANDING TAXI.
May 24, 1990	UGANIK BAY, AK	N1095F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DOWNDRAFTS AND GUSTY WINDS.
May 20, 1990	TERRA BELLA, CA	N1211F	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION WAS POOR. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH VEGETATION FIELD.
Apr 16, 1990	BETHEL, AK	N2214T	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQAUTE SUPPLY OF FUEL.
Mar 20, 1990	MINNEAPOLIS, MN	N4944E	Incident	substantial	AIRCRAFT CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WAS A FACTOR.
Jan 21, 1990	WILLOW, AK	N1802R	Incident	substantial	SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA (UNSUITABLE TERRAIN) BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DEEP SNOW ON THE RUNWAY AND FAILUR… SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA (UNSUITABLE TERRAIN) BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DEEP SNOW ON THE RUNWAY AND FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) SPECIALIST TO INFORM THE PILOT THAT THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED TO WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT.
Jan 06, 1990	AGUA DULCE, CA	N9816X	Incident	destroyed	PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH DIRECTLY LED TO HIS ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF IN AN EXCESSIVE TAILWIND AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURIN… PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH DIRECTLY LED TO HIS ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF IN AN EXCESSIVE TAILWIND AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE UNSUCCESSFUL ABORT.
Oct 15, 1989	TULUKSAK, AK	N70022	Incident	substantial	MOUNTING SHAFT (AIRBOX THROUGH-SHAFT) FOR THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS HAD BECOME LOOSE AND BACKED OUT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. … MOUNTING SHAFT (AIRBOX THROUGH-SHAFT) FOR THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS HAD BECOME LOOSE AND BACKED OUT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND ROUGH TERRAIN.
Oct 08, 1989	ROCKWOOD, ME	N7321H	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE GUSTING CROSSWIND. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A TOUCHDOWN … THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE GUSTING CROSSWIND. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A TOUCHDOWN POINT.
Sep 30, 1989	SHOTGUN HILLS, AK	N9706H	Serious (1)	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS T… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN BOTH PERSONAL ABILITY AND THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH THE DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED.
Sep 29, 1989	TRADING BAY, AK	N64399	Incident	substantial	PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE VISUAL APPROACH RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH A TREE.
Sep 20, 1989	MULCHATNA RIVER, AK	N4443R	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: … IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LOSS OF FUEL THAT HAD SIPHONED (LEAKED) FROM THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE TAKEOFF AND TREE(S) OVERHANGING THE FAST MOVING RIVER.

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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