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Aircraft record

N4786Q1978 Cessna A185F

Registration validUnclaimedSource: FAA, updated Oct 20, 2026

Safety record in brief:1 NTSB accident (substantial damage, Sep 2012)4 ADs may apply1 service difficulty report

Registration
Valid
expires May 31, 2027
Based in
Denali Park, AK
owner city / state
Engine
IO 520 SERIES · 285 hp
Cont Motor
Owners
1
since 2011
NTSB events
1
substantial, 2012
ADs may apply
4
confirm with A&P
Service reports
1
since 1995

Registration

FAA Aircraft Registry · Oct 20, 2026
Registered owner
Individual owner
City, state
Denali Park, AK
Certificate issued
May 16, 2011
Expires
May 31, 2027
Airworthiness
Standard · Normal
Airworthiness date
Aug 12, 1978

We never show street addresses, even though they appear in the public FAA file. Individual owners are shown by city and state only.

Airframe & engine

FAA Registry + type data

Airframe

Manufacturer
Cessna
Model
A185F
Year
1978
Serial number
18503556
Aircraft type
Fixed wing single engine
Category
Land
Certification
Type Certificated
Seats
6
Engines
1
Max takeoff weight
Up to 12,499 lb
Mode S code
A5E20B

Engine

Make and model
Cont Motor Io 520 Series
Type
Reciprocating
Power
285 hp

Total time and engine hours aren't public. They appear here once the owner adds logbooks.

Ownership history

Ownership history from FAA records
  1. 2011 – nowIndividual ownerDenali Park, AK · current

Individual owners are shown by city and state only.

Safety record

NTSB · Oct 15, 2026 · FAA ADs · Oct 20, 2026 · SDRs · Oct 16, 2026

NTSB events (1)

Accident · substantial damage

Sep 13, 2012 · Denali Park, AK

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an electric transmission line during the approach to land because he was distracted by the airplane’s broken and deflected landing ski. Contributing to the accident was the in-flight failure of the right ski connecting bolt and the subsequent ski deflection.

Damage
Substantial
Injuries
None
Report
ANC12LA106

From NTSB records; matched by serial number.Read NTSB report (search CAROL for ANC12LA106)

Accident history for this model

ADs published since 1998 that may apply (4)

These match the airframe or engine model. Whether each one applies, and whether it's been complied with, depends on serial numbers, equipment and logbook entries. Applicability must be confirmed by a mechanic against the aircraft's records.

ADSubjectEffectiveApplies to
2020-21-22Fuselage; 55, StabilizersDec 7, 2020Airframe (A185F)
2011-10-09Cessna Aircraft Company Models 150, 152, 170, 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 190…Jun 17, 2011Airframe (A185F)
2009-16-03Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) IO-520, TSIO-520, and IO-550 Series Reciprocating…Sep 9, 2009Engine (IO 520 SERIES)Only with: SAP investment cast cylinder assemblies P/Ns SA52000-A1, SA52000-A20P, SA52000-A21P, SA52000-A22P, SA52000-A23P, SA55000-A1, or SA55000-A20P installed.
98-23-02Cessna Aircraft Company 180 and 185 Series AirplanesDec 22, 1998Airframe (A185F)Only with: Airglas Engineering Company (AECI) Model LW3600-180 or LW3600-180A fixed penetration wheel skis installed per STC SA213AL.

AI-extracted — verify against original. Matched from each AD's applicability section; ADs replaced by a later AD are left out.

Service Difficulty Reports (1)

Reports of failures and defects that operators and repair stations sent to the FAA since 1995. A report describes one finding; it is not an accident.

  • Landing gear · bolt · shearedSep 13, 2012

    AFT HYDRAULIC ACTUATOR BOLT WAS FOUND TO BE SHEARED IN HALF AND DISPLACED FROM ITS DESIGNED LOCATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING SKI ACTUATION WHILE AIRBORNE, FOLLOWING USE ON HARD/BREAKABLE CRUST SNOW SURFACES DURING PREVIOUS FLIGHTS. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE BOLT REVEALED SIGNS OF A STRESS…

    From FAA Service Difficulty Reports; matched by N-number and serial number.

Sources

  • FAA Aircraft RegistryRegistration, owner city and state, airframe, engineupdated Oct 20, 2026
  • NTSB accident and incident databaseAccidents and incidents since 1982updated Oct 15, 2026
  • FAA Airworthiness Directives (Federal Register)ADs published since 1998updated Oct 20, 2026
  • FAA Service Difficulty ReportsReports since 1995updated Oct 16, 2026

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