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20221005016789A

Accident · Minor damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Fairbanks, AK · October 5, 2022

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 5, 2022 · 16:00 local
Place
Fairbanks, AK
Airport
Chena Marina
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N217C
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC23FA001
Reported as
Cessna A185F
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
N217CRegistration cancelled Mar 28, 2026 · Cessna A185FS/N 18503558 · Built 1978Airframe 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.

Pilot in command (PIC) attempted to take off from float pond but never got airborne. While taxiing back for another take off attempt, engine power was reduced and pilot attempted left turn, the nose of left float submerged under water causing the aircraft to nose over. The action of the nose over caused a shift in the gear/load behind the pilot to come forward, restricting the PIC from exiting aircraft. The aircaft sank in the water submerging the crew compartment. Type certificate data sheet states max gross weight of 3320 for floatplane leaving 1245 pounds of useful load. Estimated max gross weight of aircraft at time of accident was 3594 lbs. Aircraft was estimated to be 274 lbs over gross. All fuel tanks were verified full at accident site, evidence of fuel leaking from caps. Cargo behind the pilot did not show evidence of being secured to prevent shift during flight.

Invesitgation led to discovery of maintenance performed on floats by pilotprivacy data omitted and two fastener holes on bottom of each float were left unfilled, allowing water to enter front chamber of floats. Also observed two patches on bottom of floats that were severly corroded.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF FROM FLOAT POND BUT NEVER GOT AIRBORNE. WHILE TAXIING BACK FOR ANOTHER TAKE OFF ATTEMPT, ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED AND PILOT ATTEMPTED LEFT TURN, THE NOSE OF LEFT FLOAT SUBMERGED UNDER WATER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER. THE ACTION OF THE NOSE OVER CAUSED A SHIFT IN THE GEAR/LOAD BEHIND THE PILOT TO COME FORWARD, RESTRICTING THE PIC FROM EXITING AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCAFT SANK IN THE WATER SUBMERGING THE CREW COMPARTMENT. TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET STATES MAX GROSS WEIGHT OF 3320 FOR FLOATPLANE LEAVING 1245 POUNDS OF USEFUL LOAD. ESTIMATED MAX GROSS WEIGHT OF AIRCRAFT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT WAS 3594 LBS. AIRCRAFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 274 LBS OVER GROSS. ALL FUEL TANKS WERE VERIFIED FULL AT ACCIDENT SITE, EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING FROM CAPS. CARGO BEHIND THE PILOT DID NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF BEING SECURED TO PREVENT SHIFT DURING FLIGHT.

INVESITGATION LED TO DISCOVERY OF MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON FLOATS BY PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND TWO FASTENER HOLES ON BOTTOM OF EACH FLOAT WERE LEFT UNFILLED, ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER FRONT CHAMBER OF FLOATS. ALSO OBSERVED TWO PATCHES ON BOTTOM OF FLOATS THAT WERE SEVERLY CORRODED.

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 ANC23FA001Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportFairbanks, AKThe improperly maintained floats, which allowed water to fill the front compartments and resulted in the airplane nosing over during taxi. Contributing to the fatal injury of the pilot was the improperly secured cargo, which prevented the pilot from egressing…Oct 6, 2022 · No damage

Other reports on N217C · 1

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

Incident 19930717034749ITo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Leeville, LAAircraft struck superstructure of fishing vessel with right float on liftoff from fishermans bay.Jul 17, 1993 · Minor damage