# NTSB CHI06LA175: Cessna A185E, N1972U, Clear Lake, MN, July 1, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 1, 2006, 09:53 local (14:53 UTC) - Place: Clear Lake, MN - Coordinates: 45.444442, -93.971107 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4444&lon=-93.9711&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 30, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Minneapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64195 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06LA175 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64195/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06LA175 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged flare that resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose over. A factor to the accident was the grass runway that the forward landing gear dug into during the hard landing, resulting in the amphibian airplane nosing over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - grass (contributing factor) ## Analysis The amphibian airplane nosed over during landing on a turf runway. The pilot stated that during the landing the airplane initially touched down on the main landing gear, while he held the forward landing gear off the ground. The pilot reported that when the forward landing gear touched down the airplane "flipped onto its back." First responders reported that they found the airplane upside down, facing north. Local authorities reported that the airplane was located in the grass area prior to the gravel and asphalt sections of the runway. There were two distinct ground scars leading up to the main wreckage. The width between the two ground scars was consistent with the width between the airplane's two floats. Relative to the runway direction, the right and left ground scars were 103 and 92 feet long, respectively. An automated weather observation system located 7.2 nautical miles northwest of the airport, reported the winds were from 270 at 9 knots. ## Factual narrative On July 1, 2006, at 0953 central daylight time, a Cessna A185E amphibian airplane, N1972U, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over while landing on runway 18 at Leaders/Clear Lake Airport (8Y6), Clear Lake, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The passenger died on July 23, 2006, as result of injuries sustained in the accident. The flight departed Jorgensen's Landing Seaplane Base (MY34), Prior Lake, Minnesota, at 0915. Runway 18/36 (3,000 feet by 150 feet) consisted of turf, loose gravel and asphalt surface materials. The first portion of runway 18 was turf (700 feet by 150 feet). There was a gravel strip (400 feet by 20 feet), followed by an asphalt strip (1,900 feet by 20 feet) along the center of the remaining portion of the runway. The airplane touched down and subsequently nosed over in the turf area immediately following the runway threshold. The airplane was equipped with amphibious floats. Each float was configured with a retractable landing gear system that comprised of a main gear and a forward gear. The pilot stated that he circled the airport to observe the runway and wind direction. The pilot reported flying a normal traffic pattern. The pilot stated that during the landing the airplane initially touched down on the main landing gear, while he held the forward landing gear off the ground. The pilot reported that when the forward landing gear touched down the airplane "flipped onto its back." First responders reported that they found the airplane upside down, facing north. Local authorities reported that the airplane was located in the grass area prior to the gravel and asphalt sections of the runway. There were two distinct ground scars leading up to the main wreckage. The width between the two ground scars was consistent with the width between the airplane's two floats. Relative to the runway direction, the right and left ground scars were 103 and 92 feet long, respectively. At 0953, the automated weather observation system at St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC), located 7.2 nautical miles northwest of 8Y6, reported the winds were from 270 at 9 knots. The pilot stated that "no cones were observed" marking the runway threshold. Photographs taken after the accident show several yellow cones marking the runway threshold. The airport manager stated that the cones were present at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1972U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1972U), registered now, S/N 18501702, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna A185E - Registry model: [Cessna A185E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (registry code 2072818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18501702 - Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Cerulean Corporation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MY34, Prior Lake, MN - Destination: 8Y6, Clear Lake, MN - Airport: 8Y6, Leaders/Clear Lake, runway 18, 3,000 × 150 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 726 total, 44 in this make and model, 717 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: STC, 7 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060701014629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060701014629A), Jul 1, 2006: Cessna A185E, Clear Lake, MN, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) N1972U landed short of grass runway at Clear water and flipped over onto top of fuselage damaging prop, cowl, internal and external wing, and tail… ## Other investigations on N1972U (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 ANC71IA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC71IA064), Jun 29, 1971: Cessna 185 (N1972U), Dillingham, AK, incident, minor damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.