Cessna A185F accident near Evansville, Indiana, April 8, 2022
On April 8, 2022 at about 7:25 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna A185F, registered N1040F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Evansville, Indiana (Evansville Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2022 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Indiana · Evansville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F, built 1975 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1040F · registry record · serial 18502697
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as the airplane slowed down during the landing roll, he was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane ground looped to the right and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left outboard wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and that the accident may have been prevented if he had applied more left braking action.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,406 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 550-D (piston); 1,106 hours total
- Operator: Aero Middleton LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ROG Rogers AR at 5:08 pm
- Destination: EVV Evansville IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,497 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KEVV
Weather report (METAR): KEVV 081854Z 31012G18KT 10SM SCT040 SCT055 BKN065 07/M01 A2979 RMK AO2 PK WND 31028/1810 RAB16E32 SLP089 P0000 T00721006 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo of Damaged Left Wing | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22LA172.