# Accident 19990722009839A: Cessna 185, Kodiak, AK, July 22, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 22, 1999, 12:25 local time - Place: Kodiak, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 57.7891° N, 152.3993° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.7891&lon=-152.3993&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4949E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4949E) (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 185 - Reported engine: CONT IO520* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 650 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA096) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990722009839A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N171 REPORTED N4949E OUT OF POWER AND LANDING IN VALLEY APPROX 5 WEST KODIAK, ALASKA. (.19)ON JULY 22, 1999, AT 1225 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 185 AIRPLANE, N4949E, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING ABOUT EIGHT MILES WEST OF THE KODIAK AIRPORT, KODIAK, ALASKA. THE SOLO COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A BUSINESS FLIGHT FROM THE LILY LAKE SEAPLANE BASE IN KODIAK, TO THE UGANIK CANNERY ON KODIAK. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON JULY 22, THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS INCRUISE ABOUT 1,600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WHEN THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, ENSURED THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL FORWARD, AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART. THE PILOT TRANSMITTED TO A HELICOPTER IN THE AREA THAT HE WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER TOLD THE IIC DURING A TELEPHONE INTER VIEW ON JULY 22, THAT AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST, HE LANDED AND SHUT DOWN HIS HELICOPTER TO ASSIST THE ACCIDENT PILOT. THE HELICOPTER PILOT NOTED THAT HE TURNED THE MAGNETO SWITCH TO OFF, AND TURNED OFF BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR SWITCH. HE SMELLED FUEL, AND SAW FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE WINGS. (-23) THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED LILY LAKE SEAPLANE BASE IN KODIAK. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE ABOUT 1600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WHEN FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, ENSURED MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL FORWARD, AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP. ENGINE CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RE-START. (.4) THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND ACTIVATED THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART, THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN A ROCKY RIVERBED, AND NOSED OVER. A WITNESS STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM BOTH WINGS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND THE MAGNETOS AND ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCHES WERE IN THE ON POSITION. THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE AND AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPE CTOR OPERATED THE ENGINE ON THE AIRPLANE, WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. ALL FLEXIBLE FUEL LINES WERE REMOVED AND INTERNALLY INSPECTED, THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND BYPASS VALVE WERE REMOVED AND TESTED, AND ALL IO-520 MAINTENANCE MANUAL TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED BY THE IIC AND FAA INSPECTOR, WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. ## 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 ANC99LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA096), Jul 22, 1999: Cessna 185 (N4949E), Kodiak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in this accident was the mountainous terrain in which the pilot had to perform a forced landing. 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.