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20190822012139A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Rangeley, ME · August 22, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 22, 2019 · 14:30 local
Place
Rangeley, ME
Airport
Rangeley Lake
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1920Q
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA19CA513
Reported as
Cessna A185F
Reported engine
Continental IO-520 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
23,500 total2,800 in this make and model130 in the last 90 days
N1920QRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18503502 · Built 1977Airframe modelCessna A185FEngine 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.

Prior to the accident flight, two witnesses observed the aircraft taxiing into the seaplane dock and striking submerged rocks approximately 200 yards from the dock. The aircraft come to an abrupt stop. Afterward the aircraft continued to taxi to the dock. One witness stated the pilot taxied the aircraft between two black/white hazard buoys near the shoreline of russell cove. Shortly after the aircraft returned to the dock, the pilot boarded one passenger for a part 91 flight to bgr. Witness statements and a video recording of the departure both confirm the aircraft becoming airborne at approximately 30', then going right wing low all the way into the water. On scene investigation immediately after the accident, indicates keel damage to the right float, the watertight compartments were compromised with visible damage above the step and waterline on the left float with watertight compartments compromised. The pilot, despite his facial injuries, stated he sumped the right float prior to the accident and determined the float was "dry".

As the FAA filed it

PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, TWO WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAXIING INTO THE SEAPLANE DOCK AND STRIKING SUBMERGED ROCKS APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS FROM THE DOCK. THE AIRCRAFT COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. AFTERWARD THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TAXI TO THE DOCK. ONE WITNESS STATED THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN TWO BLACK/WHITE HAZARD BUOYS NEAR THE SHORELINE OF RUSSELL COVE. SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE DOCK, THE PILOT BOARDED ONE PASSENGER FOR A PART 91 FLIGHT TO BGR. WITNESS STATEMENTS AND A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE DEPARTURE BOTH CONFIRM THE AIRCRAFT BECOMING AIRBORNE AT APPROXIMATELY 30', THEN GOING RIGHT WING LOW ALL THE WAY INTO THE WATER. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, INDICATES KEEL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FLOAT, THE WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS WERE COMPROMISED WITH VISIBLE DAMAGE ABOVE THE STEP AND WATERLINE ON THE LEFT FLOAT WITH WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS COMPROMISED. THE PILOT, DESPITE HIS FACIAL INJURIES, STATED HE SUMPED THE RIGHT FLOAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND DETERMINED THE FLOAT WAS "DRY".

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 GAA19CA513Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportRangeley Lake, METhe pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the floats, which led to his subsequent attempt to depart from a lake with damaged floats and led to a loss of roll control and the right wing impacting the water.Aug 22, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1920Q · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19891129047679ALevel Off Touchdown · Seattle, WALast observed on final. Found later,crashed off side of runway. Pilot left scene. Aircraft reported stolen.Nov 29, 1989 · Substantial damage