Cessna A185F N812F accident near Palatka, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear after takeoff from a runway, and his subsequent water landing with the wheels extended.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was performing a water touch-and-go landing on a river, about 3 miles from the departure airport. He also reported that he was distracted by potential skydivers, towers in the area, and by his passenger as they discussed the route of flight. He did not retract the landing gear after he took off and he landed the amphibious airplane on the water with the wheels extended. The airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot reported that the fuselage and wings sustained structural damage. He did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA207 for the full record.