- Date
- July 24, 2011, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oscoda, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6425XCessna 180D
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20110724014289A
- Case key
- 81250
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to retract the landing gear before a water landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use a checklist.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he landed the float-equipped airplane and it nosed over. He said that he had taken off from a paved runway earlier and forgot to retract the wheels for the water landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had used the checklist.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was intending to practice water landings in the amphibian float-equipped airplane; however, he neglected to raise the wheels after the initial takeoff from a paved runway. During approach for the first water landing at a large nearby pond, he did not notice that the wheels were still extended. The airplane subsequently nosed over when he attempted the water landing. He was not injured exiting the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings during the accident sequence. He reported no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident. He added that he needs to be more dedicated to checklists in the future.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6425X
- Reported as
- Cessna 180D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18050925
- Airframe hours
- 4,510
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 2010
- Departed
- OSC · Oscoda, MI
- Destination
- OSC · Oscoda, MI
- Airport
- OSC · Oscoda-Wurtsmith, runway 02, water
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 14, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 435 total · 69 in this make and model · 339 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSC, 5 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 224 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6425X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.