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
Nov 28, 1992	POINT HOPE, AK	N20752	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE NO. TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD DUE TO A SLIPPED (SPUN) MAIN CRANKSHAFT BEARING WHICH BLOCKED OFF THE OIL HOLE TO THE CONNECTING RO… THE FAILURE OF THE NO. TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD DUE TO A SLIPPED (SPUN) MAIN CRANKSHAFT BEARING WHICH BLOCKED OFF THE OIL HOLE TO THE CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING.
Sep 29, 1992	PETERSBURG, AK	N4891Q	Incident	destroyed	THE PILOTS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND DURING INITIAL CLIMB. A FACTOR RELATING TO ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Sep 03, 1992	DOVER FOXCROFT, ME	N93766	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN THE LACK OF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE CONSEQUENT LOSS OF BRAKE PRESURE.
Aug 30, 1992	YAKUTAT, AK	N3347L	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.
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 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
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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

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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