20131019024139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Northeast Carry, ME · October 19, 2013

Date: October 19, 2013 · 18:30 local
Place: Northeast Carry, ME
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N93037
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14CA021
Reported as: Cessna A185F
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 277 total109 in this make and model51 in the last 90 days

N93037Registration cancelled Jan 10, 2018 · Cessna A185FS/N 18503168 · Built 1976 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.

Pilot was attempting to land on moosehead lake in Northeast Carry Maine 30 to 40 minutes after offical sunset. Aircraft hit the water with a high rate of desent. The floats were torn off the aircraft and the aircraft flipped over as it sank. The pilot and passenger were able to escape the aircraft as it flipped over and started to swim to shore. The aircraft sank in about 25 feet of water. The floats remained on the surface.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON MOOSEHEAD LAKE IN NORTHEAST CARRY MAINE 30 TO 40 MINUTES AFTER OFFICAL SUNSET. AIRCRAFT HIT THE WATER WITH A HIGH RATE OF DESENT. THE FLOATS WERE TORN OFF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AS IT SANK. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE AIRCRAFT AS IT FLIPPED OVER AND STARTED TO SWIM TO SHORE. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN ABOUT 25 FEET OF WATER. THE FLOATS REMAINED ON THE 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 ERA14CA021Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportNortheast Carry, METhe pilot's improper decision to take off for an intended night water landing, and his subsequent loss of depth perception during that landing attempt.Oct 19, 2013 · Substantial damage