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CEN15CA016

2014-10-11 · Coloma, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N180CT

Make / Model
CESSNA 180B
Year of manufacture
1959 · 55 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20100408
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A140F0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot did not use the departure checklist, resulting in an inadvertent landing with the pontoon wheels extended.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot's written statement, he departed a land-based airport and flew to a nearby lake. Being a short and direct flight, he did not use the departure checklist and forgot to retract the wheels on the pontoons. Immediately upon touching down in the water, the airplane nosed over. Post-accident examination revealed the firewall had been buckled by impact. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or its systems that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot departed a land-based airport and flew to a nearby lake. Being a short and direct flight, the pilot said he did not use the departure checklist and forgot to retract the wheels on the pontoons. Immediately upon touching down in the water, the airplane nosed over. Post-accident examination revealed the firewall had been buckled by impact. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or its systems that would have precluded normal operations. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Forgotten action/omission-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Gear extension and retract sys-Not used/operated - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_CEN15CA016.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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