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.
On February 15, 2026, at about 1116 hours, a 1981 Cessna (floats) A185F, privacy data omitted departed marco island executive airport to the south and at approximately 1154 (per flightawear) attempted a water landing but crashing. Cessna privacy data omitted was found inverted with aircraft submerged under water with pontoon floats only part of aircraft visible. One pilot and one passenger on board, PIC survived with minor injuries; passenger was found deceased. The Cessna A185F was operated as a title 14?code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The PIC stated to collier county detectives he attempted a water landing when the plane bounced off the water, nose-dived, inverted, crashed and sank.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 15, 2026, AT ABOUT 1116 HOURS, A 1981 CESSNA (FLOATS) A185F, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED MARCO ISLAND EXECUTIVE AIRPORT TO THE SOUTH AND AT APPROXIMATELY 1154 (PER FLIGHTAWEAR) ATTEMPTED A WATER LANDING BUT CRASHING. CESSNA ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FOUND INVERTED WITH AIRCRAFT SUBMERGED UNDER WATER WITH PONTOON FLOATS ONLY PART OF AIRCRAFT VISIBLE. ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD, PIC SURVIVED WITH MINOR INJURIES; PASSENGER WAS FOUND DECEASED. THE CESSNA A185F WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14?CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PIC STATED TO COLLIER COUNTY DETECTIVES HE ATTEMPTED A WATER LANDING WHEN THE PLANE BOUNCED OFF THE WATER, NOSE-DIVED, INVERTED, CRASHED AND SANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.