Cessna A185F accident near Eaton Rapids, Michigan, May 6, 1983
On May 6, 1983, a Cessna A185F, registered N6305E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Private Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1983
- Place
- Eaton Rapids, Michigan · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6305E · no longer on the register · serial 18504022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING AT THE PLT'S PRIVATE STRIP THE PLT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FOR A 15 MINUTE LOCAL FLT AND DURING LANDING HE TOUCHED DOWN IN A SOFT AREA. THE WHEELS BOGGED IN AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. HE HAD TAKEN OFF TO THENORTH AND LANDED TO THE SOUTH. THE ACFT HAD MISSED THE SOFT AREA DURING TAKEOFF BY BEING AIRBORNE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE AREA BEFORE THE FLT BECAUSE OF RECENT RAINS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,579 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 205 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from GRR, 55 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.
Other NTSB records under N6305E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.