Cessna A185E accident near Clear Lake, Minnesota, July 1, 2006
On July 1, 2006 at about 2:53 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N1972U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clear Lake, Minnesota (Leaders/Clear Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged flare that resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose over. A factor to the accident was the grass runway that the forward landing gear dug into during the hard landing, resulting in the amphibian airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2006 · about 2:53 pm local time
- Place
- Clear Lake, Minnesota · Leaders/Clear Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N1972U · registry record · serial 18501702
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amphibian airplane nosed over during landing on a turf runway. The pilot stated that during the landing the airplane initially touched down on the main landing gear, while he held the forward landing gear off the ground. The pilot reported that when the forward landing gear touched down the airplane "flipped onto its back." First responders reported that they found the airplane upside down, facing north. Local authorities reported that the airplane was located in the grass area prior to the gravel and asphalt sections of the runway. There were two distinct ground scars leading up to the main wreckage. The width between the two ground scars was consistent with the width between the airplane's two floats. Relative to the runway direction, the right and left ground scars were 103 and 92 feet long, respectively. An automated weather observation system located 7.2 nautical miles northwest of the airport, reported the winds were from 270 at 9 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 726 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 717 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,265 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MY34 Prior Lake MN at 2:15 pm
- Destination: 8Y6 Clear Lake MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from STC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.