# NTSB NYC06CA140: Cessna A185E, N185RW, Turner, ME, June 6, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 6, 2006, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Turner, ME
- Coordinates: 44.188888, -70.23278
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1889&lon=-70.2328&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 63844
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06CA140
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63844/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06CA140

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, resulting in a runway undershoot, and substantial damage to the airplane.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Undershoot, descent - uncontrolled
  - weather condition - tailwind
  - proper touchdown point - not obtained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

The pilot elected to land with a tailwind, on a turf runway that was adjacent and perpendicular to a riverbank.  With the Cessna 185 configured for landing, and just prior to touchdown, the airplane experienced an increase in descent rate due to "either an increase in the tailwind or a downdraft."  The airplane struck the face of the runway below the landing surface, collapsing the right main landing gear, and resulting in substantial damage.  The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies of the airplane, and when asked how the accident could have been prevented stated, "carried more airspeed to counter the effect of [the] possible increased tailwind."

## Factual narrative

The pilot elected to land with a tailwind, on a turf runway that was adjacent and perpendicular to a riverbank.  With the Cessna 185 configured for landing, and just prior to touchdown, the airplane experienced an increase in descent rate due to "either an increase in the tailwind or a downdraft."  The airplane struck the face of the runway below the landing surface, collapsing the right main landing gear, and resulting in substantial damage.  The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies of the airplane, and when asked how the accident could have been prevented stated, "carried more airspeed to counter the effect of [the] possible increased tailwind."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N185RW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N185RW), registered now, S/N 18502060, built 1972 (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: 185-02060
- Engines: Continental IO-520D reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: NONE, Scarborough, ME
- Destination: 3B5, Turner, ME
- Airport: 3B5, Twitchell Airport, runway 30

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 3,050 total, 1,600 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 20060606016379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060606016379A), Jun 6, 2006: Cessna A185E, Turner, ME, Substantial damage. (-23) The airman was making an approach to a 700 foot grass strip on the banks of the adroscoggin river in Turner, Maine. This strip is located with 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.

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