19961003030839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Finley, ND · October 3, 1996

Date: October 3, 1996 · 08:15 local
Place: Finley, ND
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N185ND
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA002
Reported as: Cessna A185F
Fatal injuries: 0

N185NDRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18504369 · Built 1982 Airframe modelCessna A185F Engine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While pulling away from the dock, left horizontal stabilizer struck the dock. (-23) single-engine seaplane instruction was being conducted at golden lake, ND. The aircraft a Cessna 185 on amphibious floats departed the dock with the water rudders retracted. The instructor pilot tried to avoid a dock support but was unsuccessful. The left horizontal stabilizer hit the dock cauing internal damage to the stabilizer which required replacement of the control surface.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM THE DOCK, LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE DOCK. (-23) SINGLE-ENGINE SEAPLANE INSTRUCTION WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT GOLDEN LAKE, ND. THE AIRCRAFT A CESSNA 185 ON AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS DEPARTED THE DOCK WITH THE WATER RUDDERS RETRACTED. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TRIED TO AVOID A DOCK SUPPORT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HIT THE DOCK CAUING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE STABILIZER WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROL SURFACE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA002Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFinley, NDfailure of the flight instructor (CFI) to ensure that clearance from the dock was maintained, while starting to taxi. The crosswind was a related factor.Oct 3, 1996 · Substantial damage