Aviat A-1C-200 N656B

Summary

On 20 December 2025 at about 22:15 local time, a Aviat A-1C-200 registered N656B was involved in an accident near Hawthorne, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 December 2025 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Hawthorne, Florida, United States

Coordinates

29.5634, -82.0185

Aircraft

Aviat A-1C-200

Registration

N656B

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ocala → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA26LA075

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate for a glassy water landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to depart from a paved airport in the amphibious airplane and fly to a nearby lake and land. The pilot overflew the lake and noticed the water appeared to be “glassy” in sections. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to its wings and fuselage. The airplane came to rest, partially submerged, in the lake. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.