Cessna A185F N217C

Summary

On 6 October 2022 at about 01:58 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N217C was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 October 2022 at 01:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Chena Marina (AK28)

Coordinates

64.8129, -147.9214

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N217C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC23FA001

1 person died.

The improperly maintained floats, which allowed water to fill the front compartments and resulted in the airplane nosing over during taxi. Contributing to the fatal injury of the pilot was the improperly secured cargo, which prevented the pilot from egressing the airplane following the nose-over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane was departing from a pond. He aborted the first attempt and was taxiing back to attempt a second takeoff. Witnesses saw the floats almost fully submerged under the water as the airplane taxied and stated that the pitch attitude of the airplane was unusually nose-low. The pilot reduced engine power and the airplane nosed over. The airplane was not damaged; however, several hundred pounds of unsecured cargo inside the airplane shifted during the nose-over and likely resulted in the pilot’s inability to egress and his subsequent drowning. During a postaccident examination, two unsealed holes were found under the float bumpers that would have allowed water to enter the front compartment of each float. It is likely that the front compartments in both floats filled with water and resulted in the nose-over during taxi.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.