Cessna A185E N185K

Summary

On 8 May 2004 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna A185E registered N185K was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 May 2004 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Englewood, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Centennial Airport (KAPA)

Coordinates

39.5700, -104.8492

Aircraft

Cessna A185E

Registration

N185K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Parker → Englewood

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN04LA071

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which failed to verify an adequate fuel supply and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The inadequate indication of his fuel quantity system is a contributing factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had been cleared to land and was following slower traffic. He reduced airspeed and made a constant left turn. When he rolled out on final approach, he opened the throttle to arrest the descent rate. The engine did not respond although it was still running. He relaxed back pressure on the control yoke to maintain airspeed and banked slightly to land on a steep incline short of the runway. The descent rate increased and the airplane impacted the incline. Postaccident examination revealed the main landing gear was torn out of the fuselage, the firewall was buckled, and the forward portion of the fuselage aft of the firewall was wrinkled. One year earlier, a fuel management system was installed in the airplane. The system digitally indicates, by the toggling of a switch, total fuel on board, consumption rate, endurance, and fuel remaining. The pilot said that prior to taking off for the 8-mile flight, he checked the fuel quantity and it indicated 10.1 gallons. After the accident, he again checked the fuel quantity and it indicated 8.0 gallons. If properly installed and calibrated correctly, the system will indicated no more than a plus or minus 1.0 gallon error. The recovery crew drained one gallon from all the fuel tanks. The pilot said that several months before the accident, the bracket that secured the throttle cable to the firewall broke. Maintenance records contained no entry of a repair being made. Although the engine had been pushed aft and buckled the firewall, cockpit movement of the throttle produced cable movement at the throttle valve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.