Cessna A185F accident near Northeast Carry, Maine, October 19, 2013
On October 19, 2013 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna A185F, registered N93037, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Northeast Carry, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to take off for an intended night water landing, and his subsequent loss of depth perception during that landing attempt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2013 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Northeast Carry, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F, built 1976 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N93037 · no longer on the register · serial 18503168
- 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, night was approaching when he landed the seaplane on a lake and taxied to shore to find out he was at the wrong destination. The pilot began to taxi along the shore, but then decided to take off again to regain his bearings and land at his intended destination. At the time of the takeoff, night had already fallen, the moon was full, there were no clouds and lighting was flat. Surface conditions were "full glass" with no ripples, and the airplane's navigation lights and landing lights were illuminated. The pilot flew the airplane out over the lake, intending to make a 180-degree turn and land back towards a dock. During the final turn, he lost "visual height reference," and after leveling the wings, he set up for a low-sink-rate, glassy water landing. He thought the airplane was about 100 feet above the water when it was only "mere feet" above the surface, which the airplane impacted at a high speed and a high sink rate. Upon impact, the floats tore off the airplane, which then nosed over. Both occupants exited, and as they were swimming to shore, they were picked up by a boat. The pilot did not note any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Federal Aviation Administration publication FAA-H-023 states, "night landings in seaplanes on open water are extremely dangerous with a high possibility of damage or loss of the seaplane. A night landing should only be performed in an extreme emergency when no other options are available." It also notes that glassy water conditions can make accurate depth perception very difficult, even for experienced pilots.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Loss of visual reference during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 277 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,971 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 854 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Northeast Carry ME at 11:25 pm
- Destination: Northeast Carry ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 28.30 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from GNR, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 4, 2014. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maine State Police Continuation Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | U.s. Naval Observatory Sunset Information | 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.
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.