TAXI PROC. AMPHIBIAN ENTERING THE WATER NOSES OVER.

Narrative

I WAS ENTERING THE WATER FROM A RAMP AT LOW TIDE IN MY CESSNA 185 AMPHIBIAN. I LEARNED; FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT; THAT THE TIDE (FULL MOON) WAS THE LOWEST OF THE YR. THE R NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED A ROCK AFTER THE ACFT LEFT THE RAMP. THE ACFT'S FORWARD MOTION WAS STOPPED MOMENTARILY AND MOMENTUM CAUSED THE NOSE TO DROP AND THE ACFT TURNED OVER ON ITS BACK. I EXITED THE ACFT FOLLOWING THE ORDERLY EGRESS OF 3 PAX. THE ACFT (AIR FRAME) DID NOT TOUCH THE ROCKS AT THE END OF THE RAMP AND REMAINED AFLOAT IN DEEP WATER UPSIDE DOWN. WITHIN 1 HR THE ACFT WAS 'RIGHTED' AND PULLED BACK UP THE RAMP. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS WATER IN THE CABIN AND THE IMMERSION OF INSTS AND AVIONICS. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE ACFT WAS STARTED. IT WAS FLOWN ON JUL/XX/95 AND RETURNED TO BANGOR; ME; ON A FERRY PERMIT ON JUL/YY/95. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS TAXIING HIS C185 DOWN A BOAT RAMP INTO THE SEA IN THE VICINITY OF CHEVERY; CANADA. THE PLT HAD DONE THIS BEFORE; BUT THE EXTREMELY LOW TIDE AND THE STEEPNESS OF THE NOW EXPOSED SHORE CREATED A MORE DIFFICULT TRANSITION FOR HIS AMPHIBIAN. AS THE NOSE GEAR ENTERED THE WATER IT STRUCK A HERETOFORE UNDISCOVERED ROCK AND THE ACFT PITCHED OVER ON ITS BACK. HOWEVER; NOT ALL WAS LOST. NOT ONLY DID EVERYONE GET OUT OF THE ACFT UNSCATHED; BUT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A NEARBY BOAT REPAIR YARD THE C185 WAS REMOVED FROM THE WATER AND CLEANED WITHOUT DAMAGE AND FLOWN THE NEXT DAY. THE SAME ACFT IS STILL FLYING AND HAS BEEN CHKED BY MAINT AND NO REPAIRS WERE NECESSARY.