# NTSB ERA25LA285: Cessna TU206, N9493Z, Ellsworth, ME, August 1, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 1, 2025, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Ellsworth, ME - Coordinates: 44.626148, -68.47254 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6261&lon=-68.4725&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 20, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200698 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA285 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200698/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200698 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA285 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to operate the airplane with a known deficiency of the floats, which resulted in an accumulation of water in the forward compartments of the floats, a forward center of gravity, and subsequent nose over during a water landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: wheel/ski/float](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246/cases.md?model=2073357), [All aircraft, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073357), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Cessna TU206G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=2073357), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna TU206G, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2073357), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the amphibious airplane reported that he and a passenger had departed earlier that morning from the lake where the airplane was based and flew to a local airport to meet with a mechanic where they discussed future work to the airplane. Afterwards, they departed and flew back to the lake and conducted a normal water landing. As the airplane settled into the water, the pilot reported a more than normal nose down tendency. As the airplane slowed to nearly a full stop with idle power, the forward section of the floats continued to sink, and the airplane subsequently nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that he had noticed on previous flights that the floats seemed to accumulate a large amount of water in the forward three to four compartments of each float. He stated “I feel like it was gallons of water per compartment,” but he had not measured the exact quantity of water that he had pumped from each compartment. The pilot described some steps he took to determine the nature of the issue and tried to learn, “what is considered [a lot] or too much water per compartment.” Following the accident, he reported that upon righting the airplane the forward 5 compartments of the floats were “completely flooded” and the aft 2 compartments contained no water. According to an advisory circular regarding seaplane safety published by the Federal Aviation Administration, “A small amount of water, e.g., a cupful, is not unusual and can occur from condensation or normal seepage.” It also stated, “Finding an excessive amount of water should cue the pilot to look for the source of the leak.” Based on this information, the pilot should have discontinued flying the airplane from water until the nature and source of the leaking floats had been appropriately addressed. Additionally, it is likely that the excessive water accumulation in the forward portion of the floats moved the airplane’s center of gravity forward such that it resulted in the noseover during landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9493Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9493Z), registered now, S/N U20606527, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TU206 (G) - Registry model: [Cessna TU206G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tu206g) (registry code 2073357) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20606527 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 1486 - Engines: Continental Motors TIO-520-M10B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 7, 2025, 19.8 hours before - Departed: OLD, Old Town, ME - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 21, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 21,830 total, 34.8 in this make and model, 13,394 as pilot in command, 125.6 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.16 inHg - Observed at: BHB, 11 nm away - METAR: KBHB 012056Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM SCT070 24/08 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP214 T02440083 55002 ## 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 20250801009849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250801009849A), Aug 1, 2025: Cessna TU206G, Ellsworth, ME, Substantial damage. The aircraft was on approach for landing on the south end of green lake about 7 miles north-northwest of Ellsworth, Maine. The pilot reported that the approach… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200698. 37.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 37.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19132018&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed%206120.1%20ERA25LA285_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 186 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19132169&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA25LA285-Rel.pdf - FAA advisory circular 91-69A (item 3, PDF, 21 pages, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19550485&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=91-69A-Rel.pdf 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.