Summary
On April 16, 2013, a Cessna A185F (N812F) was involved in an incident near Palatka, FL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear after takeoff from a runway, and his subsequent water landing with the wheels extended.
The private pilot reported that he was performing a water touch-and-go landing on a river, about three miles from the departure airport. He also reported that he was distracted by potential skydivers, towers in the area, and by discussing the route of flight with his passenger. He did not retract the landing gear following the previous runway takeoff, and landed the amphibious airplane on the water with the wheels extended. The airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot reported that the fuselage and wings sustained structural damage. He did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA207. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N812F.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear after takeoff from a runway, and his subsequent water landing with the wheels extended.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The private pilot reported that he was performing a water touch-and-go landing on a river, about three miles from the departure airport. He also reported that he was distracted by potential skydivers, towers in the area, and by discussing the route of flight with his passenger. He did not retract the landing gear following the previous runway takeoff, and landed the amphibious airplane on the water with the wheels extended. The airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot reported that the fuselage and wings sustained structural damage. He did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA207