Cessna 185 N62882

Summary

On 12 August 2018 at about 15:00 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N62882 was involved in an accident near Brooks Range, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 2018 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Brooks Range, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

67.2392, -152.2705

Aircraft

Cessna 185

Registration

N62882

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Brooks Range

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA488

Nobody was injured.

The airplane's encounter with downdraft conditions during takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of altitude and collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he took off from an off-airport unimproved, gravel surface. He recalled that the airplane climbed to about 300 ft before it encountered a "severe downdraft." The airplane subsequently descended and impacted a creek bed, and the main landing gear separated from the airframe. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the foremost fuselage bulkhead and stringers. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind at the accident site was from 230° at 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots and that he was landing to the southwest.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.