Cessna A185E accident near Melbourne, Florida, February 26, 1987
On February 26, 1987 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N2287T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida. 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1987 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N2287T · no longer on the register · serial 185-1448
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT INADVERTENTLY LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR ON THE DOWNWIND LEG IN PREPARATION FOR A WATER LANDING. THE FLT THEN TURNED BASE TO FINAL, &, UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT NOSED OVER & CAME TO REST INVERTED IN THE LAKE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS HAD NOT BEEN MODIFIED WHEN THE FLOATS WERE INSTALLED. SUCH MODIFICATIONS ENTAIL CHANGING OF THE LANDING GEAR UP LIGHT FROM AMBER TO BLUE FOR WATER OPERATIONS AND FOR THE LANDING GEAR DOWN INDICATION FROM GREEN TO AMBER FOR LAND OPERATIONS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 5,080 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 4,755 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,960 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 6, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D23B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 2:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MLB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.