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20040525012199A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna A185E · Anchorage, AK · May 25, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 25, 2004 · 18:18 local
Place
Anchorage, AK
Airport
Merrill Field Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N70233
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC04LA057
Reported as
Cessna A185E
Reported engine
Continental IO520D
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,106 total2 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N70233Registered now · Cessna A185ES/N 18502075 · Built 1972Airframe modelCessna A185EEngine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot stated that: after a thorough preflight pilot along with one passenger took off from runway 24 @ mri to practice touch and go landings. Pilot had just purchased aircraft and this was to be his first flight. Fuel tanks were filled with approximately 70 gals. After takeoff pilot and pax observed that the airplane wasn't climbing. Pax yelled to put the gear up. Pilot stated that manifold pressure and RPM were indicating full takeoff power (pax stated 2750 RPM), but the aircraft didn't appear to be performing as though it had takeoff power. Pilot attempted to turn around to land back at the airport and subsequently crashed into power lines, a house roof and finally ended up in the driveway. There was no post accident fire; pilot and pax received only minor injuries due in part to seatbelt/shoulder harness combination and the floats absorbing much of the impact. Aircraft inspection revealed no mechanical issues. Engine inspection revealed slight water contamination in fuel distributor unit and significant corrosion in distributor and fuel control finger screens.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT: AFTER A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT PILOT ALONG WITH ONE PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 24 @ MRI TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. PILOT HAD JUST PURCHASED AIRCRAFT AND THIS WAS TO BE HIS FIRST FLIGHT. FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED WITH APPROXIMATELY 70 GALS. AFTER TAKEOFF PILOT AND PAX OBSERVED THAT THE AIRPLANE WASN'T CLIMBING. PAX YELLED TO PUT THE GEAR UP. PILOT STATED THAT MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND RPM WERE INDICATING FULL TAKEOFF POWER (PAX STATED 2750 RPM), BUT THE AIRCRAFT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE PERFORMING AS THOUGH IT HAD TAKEOFF POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND TO LAND BACK AT THE AIRPORT AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED INTO POWER LINES, A HOUSE ROOF AND FINALLY ENDED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS NO POST ACCIDENT FIRE; PILOT AND PAX RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES DUE IN PART TO SEATBELT/SHOULDER HARNESS COMBINATION AND THE FLOATS ABSORBING MUCH OF THE IMPACT. AIRCRAFT INSPECTION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED SLIGHT WATER CONTAMINATION IN FUEL DISTRIBUTOR UNIT AND SIGNIFICANT CORROSION IN DISTRIBUTOR AND FUEL CONTROL FINGER SCREENS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC04LA057Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAnchorage, AKThe pilot/owner's failure to ensure that the airplane was in an airworthy condition prior to flight, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and subsequent in-flight collision with a residence during an emergency landing after takeoff. Factors…May 26, 2004 · Substantial damage