What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 3, 2019, at approximately 1000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 185 on amphibious floats, N5806J, operated by a private pilot was substantially damaged, when during an emergency landing, caught a wingtip on a power line and landed near a road before coming to rest upside down. The aircraft is registered to the pilot and operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed flint, MI (fnt) on its way to beaver island, MI (sjx).
Witness statements corroborate that the aircraft was in cruise flight moving to the northwest when the engine quit. The pilot stated that ?something didn?t feel right,? So he began a course reversal to return to fnt. It was at that point the engine "quit, stopped dead." The propeller was not wind milling, so he picked a landing spot, attempted a restart- no prop movement, lowered the gear manually and set up for his landing. The pilot stated that he ?hit a ceramic ball on the power line? Which spoiled his power off approach to the road for landing. The aircraft touched down hard on the floats which cushioned the impact, however it also caused the aircraft to bounce, and come to rest upside down facing northeast. All four occupants exited the aircraft without assistance, however, the pilot had minor cuts and bruises. All occupants were taken to a local hospital, treated and released before the end of the day.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 3, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 185 ON AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS, N5806J, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, WHEN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, CAUGHT A WINGTIP ON A POWER LINE AND LANDED NEAR A ROAD BEFORE COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED FLINT, MI (FNT) ON ITS WAY TO BEAVER ISLAND, MI (SJX).
WITNESS STATEMENTS CORROBORATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED THAT ?SOMETHING DIDN?T FEEL RIGHT,? SO HE BEGAN A COURSE REVERSAL TO RETURN TO FNT. IT WAS AT THAT POINT THE ENGINE "QUIT, STOPPED DEAD." THE PROPELLER WAS NOT WIND MILLING, SO HE PICKED A LANDING SPOT, ATTEMPTED A RESTART- NO PROP MOVEMENT, LOWERED THE GEAR MANUALLY AND SET UP FOR HIS LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ?HIT A CERAMIC BALL ON THE POWER LINE? WHICH SPOILED HIS POWER OFF APPROACH TO THE ROAD FOR LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE FLOATS WHICH CUSHIONED THE IMPACT, HOWEVER IT ALSO CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE, AND COME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN FACING NORTHEAST. ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, HOWEVER, THE PILOT HAD MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.