Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-200 accident near Hawthorne, Florida, December 20, 2025
On December 20, 2025 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 2013 Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-200, registered N656B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hawthorne, Florida. 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 pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate for a glassy water landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2025 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-200, built 2013 · all A-1C-200s on the register
- Registration
- N656B · registry record · serial 3199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to depart from a paved airport in the amphibious airplane and fly to a nearby lake and land. The pilot overflew the lake and noticed the water appeared to be “glassy” in sections. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to its wings and fuselage. The airplane came to rest, partially submerged, in the lake. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Glassy surface › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- 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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,238 hours in all; 51.7 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 2.7 in the last 30 days; 3,109 as pilot in command; 864.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 354.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 2025; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 (piston); 354 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD04 Ocala FL at 9:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from GNV, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGNV 202153Z 11005KT 10SM CLR 21/05 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP211 T02060050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – N656B Immediately after Accident in Redwater Lake
Photograph 2 – Left-Wing Leading Edge Damage Shown During Recovery
Photograph 3 – Left Wing Strut Buckled
Photograph 4 – Propeller, Fuselage, Windshield and Wing Strut DamageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 21, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Mor Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA075.