Cessna A185F accident near Emily, Minnesota, August 10, 2015
On August 10, 2015 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna A185F, registered N23DE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Emily, Minnesota. 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 retract the landing gear, which resulted in a gear down water landing and a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2015 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Emily, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F F, built 1980 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N23DE · registry record · serial 18503969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that during the initial climb from an airport runway, he was distracted by other airport traffic and forgot to retract the landing gear. As he approached his destination, which was a lake, he stated he did not perform the before landing checklist as he usually does, and failed to notice that the landing gear was still down. The pilot reported that his touchdown was smooth, but the airplane immediately nosed over and he felt "a fire hose of water" come through the windscreen. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot reported that he was submerged underwater, but was able to remain calm and slip out the pilot side window. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,465 hours in all; 667 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,465 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,737.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 D16B (piston); 357 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CFE Buffalo MN at 3:05 pm
- Destination: None Emily MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KPWC, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.