# Accident 20250719009209A: Cessna A185F, Lansing, MI, July 19, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 2025, 10:45 local time
- Place: Lansing, MI
- Airport: Capital Region International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.7786° N, 84.5862° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7786&lon=-84.5862&mi=10
- Aircraft: N888DK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N888DK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 294 total, 100 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA260) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250719009209A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 19TH, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1045 EDT, A CESSNA C185 SKYWAGON AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE DURING A FLIGHT IN LANSING MICHIGAN AT LANSING’S CAPITAL REGION AIRPORT (LAN). THE FLIGHT, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WITH THREE PASSENGERS, WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91, WITHOUT A FILED FLIGHT PLAN. FORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE PILOT NOR HIS PASSENGERS WERE INJURED DURING THE EVENT.

THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS DEPARTED IN AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT APPROXIMATELY 1024 EDT FROM COLDWATER, MICHIGAN. THE PILOT WAS SEATED FRONT LEFT POSITION AND HAD THREE OTHER OCCUPANTS WITH HIM IN THE AIRCRAFT ON THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT MENTIONED IN A STATEMENT THAT THEIR ORIGINAL ARRIVAL AIRPORT WAS KSLH, CHEBOYGAN COUNTY AIRPORT, BUT THAT THEY DIVERTED DUE TO WORSENING WEATHER. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT LANSING (LAN), WHICH WOULD PROVIDE VFR LANDING CONDITIONS. THE PILOT RECEIVED PERMISSION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28L AND BEGAN HIS APPROACH. IN HIS STATEMENT, THE PILOT MENTIONS THAT HIS “FINAL WAS OKAY, FLARED/ROUNDED OUT A BIT HIGH (RUNWAY WIDER THAN MY NORMAL OPERATIONS).” HE ALSO MENTIONS ADDING POWER TOO LATE TO STOP HIS DESCENT, WHICH LED TO A HARD LANDING (BOUNCE), WHICH CAUSED A GROUND LOOP, FORCING HIS RIGHT-WING TIP TO STRIKE THE RUNWAY. THE AICRAFT GROUND STRIKE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, RIGHT AILERON, AND THE RIGHT WHEEL HUB. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SAFELY ON DECK, THE PILOT TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A RUN UP PAD WHERE HE MET A SECURITY AIRPORT VEHICLE. THEY CONFIRMED ZERO INJURIES, ASSESSED THE AIRCRAFT, AND VERIFIED THE ABSENCE OF LEAKING FLUIDS, AND INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO TAXI TO THE FIXED-BASE OPERATOR.

INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE PILOT DIVERTED TO LANSING, AN AIRPORT THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT THOUROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH, IT LED TO A SITUATION WHEREBY THE PILOT ADDED ADDITIONAL COMPLICATIONS AND UNCERTAINTY TO THE LANDING, INCREASING THE RISK. HE MENTIONS THAT HE WAS INITIALLY WIDE WITH THE APPROACH, AND THEN APPROACHED TOO HIGH, AND THAT THE RUNWAY WIDTH WAS CONFUSING TO HIM. THESE COMPLICATIONS ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSED THE ACCIDENT ON JULY 19TH, 2025.

## 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 CEN25LA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA260), Jul 19, 2025: Cessna A185F (N888DK), Lansing, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing in a crosswind condition.

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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