Cessna 185 accident near Laytonsville, Maryland, January 17, 2020
On January 17, 2020 at about 10:05 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna 185, registered N1557F, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Laytonsville, Maryland (Davis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the tailwheel attachment tube during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and the left main landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2020 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Laytonsville, Maryland · Davis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185 D, built 1965 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N1557F · registry record · serial 185-0928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After two uneventful circuits in the traffic pattern, the pilot aligned the airplane to the runway for another a touch-and-go landing. As he applied engine power, he used the right rudder to center the airplane on the runway. About 50 ft into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied right brake and right rudder to correct; however, the airplane became "momentarily airborne." He reduced the engine power, and as the airplane settled back onto the runway, it veered right. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane by applying the brakes; however, it continued off the right side of the runway and traveled through mud, and subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest on the left side of the fuselage. The tailwheel attachment tube was separated from the empennage, but the tailwheel control cables remained attached.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 900 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,697.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2019; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,197 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470 SERIES (piston); 3,684 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W50 Laytonsville MD at 10:05 pm
- Destination: W50 Laytonsville MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 08, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.69 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from GAI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 1, 2020. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Surveillance Video of Takeoff | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | 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.