Cessna A185F accident near Belle Chase, Louisiana, March 7, 2011
On March 7, 2011 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N434JG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Belle Chase, Louisiana (Southern Seaplane Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was retracted for the water landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2011 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Chase, Louisiana · Southern Seaplane Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N434JG · registry record · serial 18503785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was planning on performing a landing on a runway and extended the landing gear. During the approach, he elected to perform a water landing instead, due to the 90 degree crosswind. While performing the water landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot reported that he did not complete a second checklist prior to landing and did not ensure that the landing gear was retracted. The lower cowling was crushed aft and wrinkled, the left wing leading edge was crushed aft, and the left wing was bent down. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 65LA Belle Chase LA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: 65LA Belle Chase LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 4,500 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KNBG, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.