Cessna A185F Safety Record

The improperly maintained floats, which allowed water to fill the front compartments and resulted in the airplane nosing over during taxi. Contributing to the fatal injury of the pilot was the improperly secured cargo, which prevented the pilot from egressing the airplane following the nose-over.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during low-level maneuvering flight. Contributing to the pilot’s death was the lack of a timely emergency rescue response due to the lack of effective emergency signal transmissions from both the airplane’s emergency locator transmitter and the personal locator device, which were both ejected from the wreckage.

The pilot's inadequate weather planning and improper decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an encounter with a thunderstorm and subsequent loss of control.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to his diverted attention, which resulted in a collision with trees during the initial climb after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the passenger's attempt to secure the jump door after it opened during takeoff.

The pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions. Inadequate preflight planning/preparation, trees, a low ceiling and no suitable terrain available for the landing were factors.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain control. Factors include mountain obscuration, clouds and convective weather conditions.

the pilot's poor judgment and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the high winds and downdrafts, and the pilot's self-induced pressure to go home.

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance of the terrain. Contributing factors were the clear air turbulent weather condition, and the high density altitude condition.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his operation of the airplane in an over gross condition. A contributing factor was noncompliance with written company weight and balance procedures.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in overstress of the aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude above, and/or clearance with, mountainous terrain during night visual flight rules flight. Factors included mountainous terrain and dark night light conditions.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident were mountainous/hilly terrain, low ceilings, the pilot's improper in-flight decision making, and the pilot's impairment from over-the-counter drugs.

The improper recovery from a bounced water landing by the pilot. Factors associated with this accident were the pilot's failure to release his seatbelt due to the obstructed location of the pilot's seatbelt buckle.