# Accident 19890920035669A: Cessna A185F, Mulchatna River, AK, September 20, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 20, 1989, 17:30 local time
- Place: Mulchatna River, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N4443R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4443R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Reported engine: CONT IO520*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC89LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA170) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890920035669A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

REPORTED FUEL SIPHONING PROBLEM. BELIEVED ENOUGH FUEL TO DEPART. ENGINE QUIT EN ROUTE. LANDED IN RIVER. NOSED OVER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC89LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA170), Sep 20, 1989: Cessna 185 (N4443R), Mulchatna River, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LOSS OF FUEL THAT HAD SIPHONED (LEAKED) FROM THE…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.