20050805017139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Seattle, WA · August 5, 2005

Date: August 5, 2005 · 09:45 local
Place: Seattle, WA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4867C
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05LA161
Reported as: Cessna A185F
Reported engine: Continental IO520*
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 456 total203 in this make and model66 in the last 90 days

N4867CRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18502635 Airframe modelCessna A185F

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) On August 5, 2005 aircraft left airport 66S at 7:45, on route to bfi. Aircraft flew with no problems till reaching the north end of lake Washington at about 2000 feet, the engine lost all power. Rpm's dropped off to zero. Pilot looked for some place to land aircraft. Pilot attempted to switch fuel by moving selector switch from both left, then to right, no change in engine. Pilot continued to look for place to set aircraft down. Pilot thought he could make it to sandpoint, but as aircraft lost altitude, he realized he would not make it. Pilot said he would have to put it down in the water and looked for place near the shore to set it down. As he controlled the aircraft down to about 6 feet above the water, the nose dropped over and hit the water. All three people were able to get out of the aircraft and were picked up by a nearby boat. The aircraft sank to about 37 feet of water at about 85 yards off shore due north of berth heaven at sandpoint, magnuson pack.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 5, 2005 AIRCRAFT LEFT AIRPORT 66S AT 7:45, ON ROUTE TO BFI. AIRCRAFT FLEW WITH NO PROBLEMS TILL REACHING THE NORTH END OF LAKE WASHINGTON AT ABOUT 2000 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. RPM'S DROPPED OFF TO ZERO. PILOT LOOKED FOR SOME PLACE TO LAND AIRCRAFT. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL BY MOVING SELECTOR SWITCH FROM BOTH LEFT, THEN TO RIGHT, NO CHANGE IN ENGINE. PILOT CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR PLACE TO SET AIRCRAFT DOWN. PILOT THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE IT TO SANDPOINT, BUT AS AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE, HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE IT. PILOT SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT DOWN IN THE WATER AND LOOKED FOR PLACE NEAR THE SHORE TO SET IT DOWN. AS HE CONTROLLED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO ABOUT 6 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE NOSE DROPPED OVER AND HIT THE WATER. ALL THREE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE PICKED UP BY A NEARBY BOAT. THE AIRCRAFT SANK TO ABOUT 37 FEET OF WATER AT ABOUT 85 YARDS OFF SHORE DUE NORTH OF BERTH HEAVEN AT SANDPOINT, MAGNUSON PACK.

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 SEA05LA161Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSeattle, WALoss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Aug 5, 2005 · Substantial damage