# Accident 20120722018739A: Cessna A185F, Mapleton, ME, July 22, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2012, 14:30 local time
- Place: Mapleton, ME
- Airport: Northern Maine Regional Airport At Pr
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.7181° N, 68.0536° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7181&lon=-68.0536&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5168E (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 210 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA480](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA480) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120722018739A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM A PRIVATE FIELD IN ASHLAND MAINE. SAID HE WAS GOING TO PRESQUE ISLE (PQI) TO GET FUEL. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS 26-28 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE TOOK OFF. HE DECIDED TO DO SOME VOR WORK ON HIS WAY TO PQI. PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. HE HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT TANK. HE STATED THE LEFT TANK FUEL GAUGE WAS VERY LOW. HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AND PUT ON THE BOOST PUMP. HE SAID THE ENGINE STARTED TO REGAIN SOME POWER AND CONTINUED GOING TO PQI. THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AGAIN, HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BOTH, BUT ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. HE DECIDED HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE PQI, SO HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD ABOUT 10-12 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE LANDED. HE LANDED IN THE FIELD ON THE FLOATS. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE LANDED THE PLANE DID NOT SLOW DOWN DUE TO THE WET GRASS IN THE FIELD. THE PLANES RIGHT WING STRUCK SOME TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD THAT SWUNG THE PLANES PROPELLER AND NOSE INTO THE TREES.

## 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 ERA12LA480](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA480), Jul 22, 2012: Cessna A185F (N5168E), Mapleton, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power, and his use of an improper engine restart procedure.

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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