# NTSB ERA26FA205: Cessna A185F, N61368, Avon, ME, May 12, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: May 12, 2026, 10:58 local (14:58 UTC)
- Place: Avon, ME · Off Day Mountain Road / Avon ME
- Coordinates: 44.773032, -70.268125 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.7730&lon=-70.2681&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: Textron Aviation, FAA/ FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202969
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26FA205
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202969/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA205

## Preliminary report

On May 12, 2026, about 1058 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F airplane, N61368, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Avon, Maine. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was owned by the state of Maine and operated as a public use aircraft. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Warden Service reported that the flight originated from a seaplane base on Crystal Lake, Harrison, ME, and repositioned to Rangeley Lake to load fish for the purpose of stocking Schoolhouse Pond, a local body of water. The airplane was equipped with floats and two fish pods, one mounted on each float which were electronically dumped via pilot activated instrument panel mounted controls. Following the repositioning, the airplane’s right pod was loaded with about 12 gallons of water and 42 lbs. of fish. According to preliminary ADS-B data from the FAA, the airplane departed Rangely Lake at about 1030 and proceeded to the southeast for about 21 miles to Schoolhouse Pond. The airplane continued about 1.5 miles east of the pond, turned left and flew along the pond’s eastern shore in a southwesterly direction. The final data points showed the airplane in a right turn about 400 yards southwest of Schoolhouse Pond. The wreckage was located on rising terrain in a densely wooded area about 400 yards southwest of Schoolhouse Pond. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude and all the major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The floats remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited leading-edge impact damage. Fish from the stocking operation were observed in the right fish pod and on the ground adjacent to the right fish pod. There was an odor of fuel observed at the accident site, and numerous tree branches near the main wreckage exhibited angular separations with paint transfer marks at their separation areas. The empennage was relatively undamaged. The wings exhibited leading-edge impact damage, were displaced forward and partially separated from the fuselage. The pilot and copilot seats were impact damaged and the seat rails were deformed. The instrument panel was fragmented. The fuel selector was positioned to BOTH, and fuel line continuity was established from the fuel tanks to the gascolator. The flaps were noted in the 20° position, and flight control continuity was established from the cockpit area to all the flight control surfaces. The engine was partially separated from the firewall. The three-bladed aluminum propeller was impact separated from the engine and remained attached to the separated crankshaft flange. Leading-edge damage was noted to the propeller blades. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61368](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61368), registered now, S/N 18504159, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18504159
- Year built: 1980
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Public aircraft - state, Public use
- Operator: Department Of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife
- Registered owner: Department Of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: rangeley, ME
- Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 13 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,800 ft broken
- Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: 8B0, 21 nm away
- METAR: METAR K8B0 121455Z AUTO 29013G25KT 10SM BKN048 BKN055 06/M06 A3006 RMK AO2

## 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 20260512005299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260512005299A), May 12, 2026: Cessna A185F, Avon, ME, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On the morning of the accident, the float-equipped aircraft was conducting public fish stocking operations. Prior to the flight to the stocking location, the…

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.