Cessna A185F accident near Leonardtown, Maryland, August 24, 2023
On August 24, 2023 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna A185F, registered N955LS, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Leonardtown, Maryland. It was an instructional 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
A loss of engine power during an approach to landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2023 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leonardtown, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F NO SERIES, built 1973 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N955LS · registry record · serial 18502259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and designated pilot examiner (DPE) departed to complete a private pilot airplane single engine sea rating flight test in the float-equipped airplane. The private pilot navigated without incident to a nearby lake, circled, and entered a left downwind traffic pattern leg for the first water landing of the flight. During his landing checks, and shortly after he reduced engine power and added flaps, the engine lost power. The private pilot announced the loss of power and transferred control of the airplane to the DPE. The DPE pushed the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls forward; however, the engine did not respond. He then switched fuel tanks and navigated towards a corn field ahead. During the forced landing the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident test run of the fuel-injected engine found that it started and produced normal power with fuel being fed from an external fuel tank placed above the fuselage. Positive fuel flow was observed with the fuel selector placed in the BOTH, LEFT, and RIGHT positions. The loss of engine power could not be duplicated during postaccident testing, and the reason for the loss of engine power that occurred during the accident flight could not be determined.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Unknown or undetermined during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,701 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 2023; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2W6 Leonardtown MD at 9:21 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from NHK, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KNHK 242152Z 15006KT 10SM BKN110 BKN140 BKN280 28/18 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP146 VIRGA NW-NE T02780183
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on November 26, 2024. 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 | Private Pilot Written Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Designated Pilot Examiner Written Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record - Private Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record - Designated Pilot Examiner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum for Record - Engine Examination and Test Run | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Engine Test Video | video | View Download |
| 9 | Excerpts of Maintenance Records | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.