NTSB DEN89LA188 — 1989-08-06 · DURANGO, Colorado, United States

Current FAA registration · N9823X

Make / Model: CESSNA 185
Year of manufacture: 1961 · 28 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19610331
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S ADB569

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N9823X Cessna 185 None

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE WIND CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS ON RWY 2. HE RPRTD THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS INDICATING A STRONG X-WIND WHEN HE LANDED. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND VELOCITY WAS 20 KTS. DURING THE LANDING, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT GROUND LOOPED. THE 1350 MDT WIND WAS FROM 290 DEG AT 4 GUSTING 20 KTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_DEN89LA188.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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