# Accident 20200411005429A: Cessna A185E, Eagle River, AK, April 11, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2020, 20:22 local time
- Place: Eagle River, AK
- Airport: D&C Fire Lake Flying Club Seap
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.3519° N, 149.5489° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.3519&lon=-149.5489&mi=10
- Aircraft: N185RN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N185RN-2023-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185E (registry code 2072818, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185E
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550-D
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 4
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC20LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200411005429A

## Narrative

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

A WITNESS AND THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER PROVIDED STATEMENTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER IN PROXIMITY OF LOWER FIRE LAKE.

THE PASSENGER, IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, DETAILED HIS FATHER, THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT PILOT, PLANNED TO OVERFLY THE MULTI-USE LAKE TO CHECK FOR A CLEAR FIELD PRIOR TO LANDING.

HE INDICATED THAT AFTER HEADING SOUTH AND PASSING THE WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND WITHIN THE LAKE, TO EXAMINE THE LANDING AREA, POWER WAS LOST AFTER TURNING RIGHT (WEST) AND PREPARING TO LAND TO THE NORTH.

HE STATES HIS FATHER ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM BUT DID NOT SPECIFY THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM.

THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, ALSO PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE HOLDER, STATES HE PERFORMED A QUICK VISUAL CHECK AND OBSERVED THE MIXTURE WAS IN, THAT MAGNETOS WERE SET TO BOTH AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO BOTH, PRIOR TO HIS FATHER ANNOUNCING HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO LAND TO THE NORTH.

HE SAID HIS FATHER BEGAN TO TURN LEFT (EAST) BEFORE STATING THEY WOULD CRASH.

AFTER THE TURN, THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER DESCRIBED HEARING THE STALL WARNING, STRIKING TREES AND THEN VIOLENTLY PITCHING TOWARD THE GROUND PRIOR TO IMPACT. HE WOKE TO FUEL POURING ON HIM AND IN HIS FACE, FOLLOWING THE IMPACT AND A NEIGHBOR PULLING HIM FROM THE WRECKAGE.

THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE CRASHED WHILE ON THE BASE LEG OF LANDING, HEADING TO THE EAST.

## 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 ANC20LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA043), Apr 12, 2020: Cessna A185E (N185RN), Eagle River, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate fuel onboard prior to the planned flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and an aerodynamic stall during the subsequent…

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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