Cessna A185F N888DK

Summary

On 19 July 2025 at about 14:53 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N888DK was involved in an accident near Lansing, Michigan, United States. 4 people were 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

19 July 2025 at 14:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Lansing, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Capital Region International A (LAN)

Coordinates

42.7786, -84.5862

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N888DK

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Coldwater → Lansing

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA260

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing in a crosswind condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he flared too high during the landing, possibly due to a runway width illusion. The airplane bounced on contact with the runway and then began to weathervane into the crosswind. The pilot stated he performed control inputs to minimize the ground loop but was unsuccessful and the right wing scraped the runway. Contact with the runway resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 28L with wind from 200° at 8 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.