# Accident 20200430004969A: Cessna A185E, East Bethel, MN, April 30, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 30, 2020, 14:00 local time
- Place: East Bethel, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.2956° N, 93.1736° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2956&lon=-93.1736&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1669M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1669M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185E (registry code 2072818, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185E
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,823 total, 1,238 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA164) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200430004969A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

2020-04-30 N1669M C185 AMPHIB INVERTED IN COON LAKE.

THE PIC DEPARTED KANE AIRPORT THAT VMC DAY WITH THE INTENT TO PRACTICE SOME INSTRUMENT APPROACHES.  AFTER SHOOTING HIS FIRST APPROACH TO KCBG, THE PILOT WENT MISSED AND ENTERED THE VFR PATTERN FOR A FULL STOP.  HIS FUEL FLOW INDICATIONS WERE NOT NORMAL, SO HE MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AND SHUTDOWN TO DIP THE TANKS.  FUEL LEVEL WAS NORMAL.  PILOT DEPARTED FOR HIS HOME FIELD KANE WITH THE INTENT OF A FULL STOP.

THE TRAVEL DISTANCE WAS 30 MILES, ABOUT HALFWAY, WHILE UP TOWER FREQUENCY THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT ALL TRAFFIC STANDBY AS KANE WAS PERFORMING A RWY CHANGE TO RWY 36 FOR WINDS.  WINDS WERE NOW NW AT AROUND 8 KTS.  WITH THIS DELAY THE PILOT LOOKED DOWN AND TO HIS EAST/LEFT AND SAW COON LAKE, WITH CALM WATERS.  ON THE FLY HE DECIDED TO PERFORM A WATER LANDING.  HE DID NOT TAKE ANY EXTRA TIME TO SET UP, BUT RATHER MADE A LEFT TURN TO LEFT BASE AND RAN THROUGH HIS STANDARD "GUMP" CHECK.  HE DOES NOT REMEMBER LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR.  THE SAME ACRONYM "GUMP" IS USED FOR WATER AND LAND LANDINGS.  HIS PLAN WAS TO DO A STOP AND GO.  THE LAKE LANDING AREA WAS CLEAR AND THE LINEUP WAS LOOKING GOOD.

UPON TOUCHDOWN THERE WAS A VIOLENT ACTION FORWARD.  THE LANDING GEAR WHEELS WERE DOWN AND LOCKED.  THE AIRPLANE WENT NOSE INTO THE WATER, THE PROP HUB RIPPED FREE OF THE BOLTS DEPARTING ON IMPACT.  THE AIRPLANE VIOLENTLY CONTINUED INVERTED, THE PILOT REPORTING HIS MEMORY WAS WATER; WASTE/CHEST/FACE NO DELAY.  THE PIC HAD MADE A PRACTICE EVERY TIME GETTING OUT OF THE PLANE TO RUN HIS HAND ALONG THE LEFT SEAT EDGE AND GUIDE IT BY FEEL TO THE HANDLE, HE DID THE SAME THING ON THIS DAY, AND UNLOCKED AND UNLATCHED THE DOOR.  HIS GLASSES WERE GONE, BUT PULLED HIMSELF OUT IN A "SNAKING" FASHION, SMOOTHLY ALL BY FEEL.  PIC STATED HE WAS ON HIS LAST AIR HITTING THE SURFACE.  A FEW MINUTES LATER A WITNESS IN A BOAT PICKED HIM UP.  WATER TEMPERATURE WAS 56 DEGREES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN20CA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA164), Apr 30, 2020: Cessna A185 (N1669M), Anoka, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent extension of the landing gear and his subsequent water landing with the wheels extended.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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