NTSB NYC92LA116 — 1992-06-12 · GREENVILLE, Maine, United States

Current FAA registration · N2816K

Make / Model: CESSNA 180K
Year of manufacture: 1979 · 13 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19790621
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A2D4E6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2816K Cessna 180K Minor

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOTS DECISION TO INITIATE A STEP TURN INTO THE WIND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CROSSWIND AND GUSTS.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT LANDED ON WATER WITH WINDS FROM 320 DEGREES AT 25 KTS, WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AND WHILE STILL ON THE STEP, HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE 40 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT FOR ADDITIONAL MANEUVERING ROOM, PRIOR TO MAKING A PLANNED 180 DEGREE STEP TURN TO THE LEFT. DURING THE INITIAL TURN TO THE LEFT, A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRPLANE AND SUBMERGED THE RIGHT FLOAT DESPITE PILOT INPUT ON THE AILERONS. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER IN THE WATER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_NYC92LA116.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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