# Accident 19970921027739A: Cessna A185E, Wasilla, AK, September 21, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 1997, 09:45 local time
- Place: Wasilla, AK
- Airport: Anderson Lake Strip Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.6033° N, 149.3111° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6033&lon=-149.3111&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70122, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70122-2020-09-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185E (registry code 2072818, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185E
- Reported engine: CONT IO520D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 880 total, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA153) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970921027739A

## Narrative

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

CRASHED ON TAKEOFF, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4)THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO FERRY HIS AIRPLANE FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP TO A MAINTENANCE FACILITY.  THE AIRPLANE'S LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS IN 1988.  THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN SINCE 1989.  THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A FERRY PERMIT. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PILOT DRAINED WATER FROM THE FUEL TANKS, AND ADDED SEVERAL GALLONS OF FUEL TO EACH TANK.  HE THEN SLOSHED THE FUEL AROUND IN EACH TANK, DRAINED THEM, AND THEN ADDED FULL FUEL TO EACH TANK.  THE PILOT THEN PERFORMED TWO SEPARATE ENGINE RUN-UPS, AND DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY ENGINE PROBLEM.  THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 120 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING, AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA NEAR A ROAD.  DURING THE LANDING APPROACH TO THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND SEVERAL TREES.  THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE.  AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FOUND A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE LEFT WING FUEL DRAIN, THE HEADER TANK DRAIN, AND THE GASCOLATOR DRAIN.

## 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 ANC97LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA153), Sep 21, 1997: Cessna 185E (N70122), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to water contaminated fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a…

## Other reports on N70122 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19890309003429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890309003429A), Mar 9, 1989: Cessna 185E (N70122), Alexander Lake, AK, Substantial damage. Landed on a frozen lake and hit a snowbank after engine quit due to fuel exhaustion.

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.

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