# Accident 20040207001349A: Cessna A185F, Fowler, CA, February 7, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 7, 2004, 11:30 local time
- Place: Fowler, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.6239° N, 119.6833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6239&lon=-119.6833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8702Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8702Z) (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
- Pilot flight hours: 1,080 total, 4 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA117) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040207001349A

## Narrative

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

(-23) MR. DAVID REDWAY WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND AND THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF A CESSNA 185 WHICH HE OWNED, DEPARTED SUNSET SKY RANCH (SE OF SACRAMENTO, CA) AT 10:40 HOURS PST TO VISALIA, CA. TWENTY FOUR NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF VISALIA AND ONE MILE NW OF FOWLER, CA, AT ABOUT 11:30 HOURS PST THE AIRCRAT ENGINE QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A DIRT FIELD WAS EXECUTED WITHTHE AIRCRAFT OVERTURNING. MR. REDWAY WAS NOT INJURED. BOTH AIRCRAFT WINGS AND THE TAIL SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PROPELLER WAS BENT, THE ENGINE COWLING AND PROP SPINNER WERE DAMAGED. FUEL STARVATION WAS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. ONLY FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL COULD BE DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEGUN THE FLIGHT WITH THE FUEL GAUGES READING HALF FULL AND HE HAD VISUALLY CHECKED THE TANKS PRIOR TO FLIGHT. FIFTY THREE MILES FROM VISALIA PASSING MADERA, CA, MR. REDWAY STATED THAT HIS LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED ONE HALF FULL AND THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF FULL. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS AND HE BELIEVED HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO MAKE HIS DESTINATION.

## 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 LAX04CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA117), Feb 7, 2004: Cessna A185F (N8702Z), Fowler, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of…

## Other reports on N8702Z (3)

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

- [Accident 20180412003579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180412003579A), Apr 12, 2018: Cessna A185F (N8702Z), Sterling, AK, Substantial damage. The pilot stated he departed soldotna airport at 7:45 am to fly 6 nautical miles to 88AK, Sterling airport (dutch landing strip) arriving approximately 8 am.…
- [Incident 19930906033609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930906033609I), Sep 6, 1993: Cessna A185F (N8702Z), Aniak, AK, Minor damage. Engine quit in flight. Forced landing in small body of water. Hit bank. Aircraft removed by helicopter.
- [Incident 19860921072929I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860921072929I), Sep 21, 1986: Cessna A185F (N8702Z), Caribou Lake, AK, Minor damage. Crosswind gusts caused aircraft to dig in a float at liftoff. Aircraft cartwheeled and sank. Excessive crosswind.

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.