Cessna A185F accident near Ashland, Maine, April 14, 2007
On April 14, 2007 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4756E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, Maine (None airport). It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while taxiing, which resulted in a nose over. A factor in this accident was the frozen, slush covered lake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2007 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Maine · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4756E · registry record · serial 18503862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the Cessna A185F, which was equipped with skis, on a frozen slush covered lake without incident. The pilot stated that the airplane required a lot of engine power to taxi. While taxiing, the pilot felt a slight bump, and initiated a left turn, which required additional engine power. The tail of the airplane quickly shifted to the right. The pilot immediately applied right rudder and pulled the power back; however, the right ski sunk into the slush, and the airplane nosed over onto the right wing. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The pilot reported 1,924 hours of total flight experience, which included about 1,660 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,924 hours in all; 1,658 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 1,824 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,364 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Eagle Lake ME at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Ashland ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from PQI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.