On October 8, 2008, about 1645 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N9380N, sustained substantial damage while taxiing from landing at a remote airstrip, about 32 miles west of Kenai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area public use flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Wildlife Troopers, Soldotna, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on October 10, the pilot reported that he was conducting a wildlife enforcement flight, and landed on a remote airstrip that was about 2,000 feet long. After landing, the pilot turned the airplane around at the end of the airstrip, but the elevator struck an area of low brush along the edge of the airstrip. The elevator received structural damage that required replacement.