What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 22, 2025, at 1320 local time, a Cessna 185, being operated under 14 CFR part 91, was destroyed while the pilot was attempting to land on runway 33 at Bangor International Airport (bgr), Bangor, Maine. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured.
Runway 33 was operating with a displaced threshold due to maintenance. While turning final, the pilot requested a wind check. The tower reported wind 020° at 14 knots, gusting to 19. ATIS information reported at 1253 local time indicated wind 350° at 10 knots, gusting to 18. The airplane touched down normally but bounced, then landed left wing low, scraping the left wingtip. It continued about 500 feet with only the left main gear contacting the runway before veering left off the centerline. The airplane struck a PAPI light housing, became briefly airborne to 50–75 feet AGL, then entered an aerodynamic stall. During descent, it narrowly cleared an FAA employee on a manlift, who later provided a witness statement, before impacting the airport perimeter fence and coming to rest in a nearby field. Amateur video footage also confirmed this sequence of events.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing separated at the root but remained attached by wiring; the right wing showed minor tip damage. The empennage partially separated but was intact. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Trim was set nose-up. The fuel selector was on “both,” and the engine controls indicated maximum power. Fuel was present in both tanks.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 22, 2025, AT 1320 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 185, BEING OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, WAS DESTROYED WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 33 AT BANGOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BGR), BANGOR, MAINE. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED.
RUNWAY 33 WAS OPERATING WITH A DISPLACED THRESHOLD DUE TO MAINTENANCE. WHILE TURNING FINAL, THE PILOT REQUESTED A WIND CHECK. THE TOWER REPORTED WIND 020° AT 14 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19. ATIS INFORMATION REPORTED AT 1253 LOCAL TIME INDICATED WIND 350° AT 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 18. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY BUT BOUNCED, THEN LANDED LEFT WING LOW, SCRAPING THE LEFT WINGTIP. IT CONTINUED ABOUT 500 FEET WITH ONLY THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CONTACTING THE RUNWAY BEFORE VEERING LEFT OFF THE CENTERLINE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A PAPI LIGHT HOUSING, BECAME BRIEFLY AIRBORNE TO 50–75 FEET AGL, THEN ENTERED AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. DURING DESCENT, IT NARROWLY CLEARED AN FAA EMPLOYEE ON A MANLIFT, WHO LATER PROVIDED A WITNESS STATEMENT, BEFORE IMPACTING THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE AND COMING TO REST IN A NEARBY FIELD. AMATEUR VIDEO FOOTAGE ALSO CONFIRMED THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS.
EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AT THE ROOT BUT REMAINED ATTACHED BY WIRING; THE RIGHT WING SHOWED MINOR TIP DAMAGE. THE EMPENNAGE PARTIALLY SEPARATED BUT WAS INTACT. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. TRIM WAS SET NOSE-UP. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON “BOTH,” AND THE ENGINE CONTROLS INDICATED MAXIMUM POWER. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN BOTH TANKS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N714HE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.