Cessna A185F accident near Miami, Florida, August 31, 2015
On August 31, 2015 at about 10:52 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna A185F, registered N186AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Miami, Florida (Miami Executive 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 pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and separation of the left main landing gear wheel from its strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2015 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F F, built 1976 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N186AZ · registry record · serial 18503192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, after a normal landing, during the landing roll about 25 knots, the left main landing gear wheel separated from its strut and the left wing contacted the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed that two of the four bolts that attached the left wheel axle assembly to the landing gear spring strut were fractured. Metallurgical examination of the fractured bolts revealed that, although they exhibited minor iron oxide (corrosion) film on the surface, all fracture features exhibited signatures of overstress separation consistent with a hard landing.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,699 hours in all; 3,837 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,699 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,558 hours in all; 999,999 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 540 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 6, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,347.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2015; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D24B (piston); 1,587 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09R, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KTMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.