NTSB investigations: Continental C85 series

9 cases on aircraft whose registry engine model is Continental C85 series, where the defining event was Fuel starvation. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

20122026
NTSB investigations: Continental C85 series per year, 2012–2026: 9 cases
20121
20171
20182
20191
20212
20231
20241

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('17008')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\" AND e.\"tier2Number\" = '191'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB ERA24LA328Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPiper J3C-65 · Groveland, FLThe pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Jul 27, 2024 · N77522 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA322Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportErcoupe 415-D · Waupun, WIThe pilot’s decision to take off without correcting a misinstalled fuel cap, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation caused by improper venting of the fuel system.Jul 23, 2023 · N415JC · Substantial damageNTSB ERA21LA300Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 140 · Murfreesboro, TNA total loss of engine power as a result of carburetor icing.Jul 26, 2021 · N72129 · Substantial damageNTSB ANC21LA033Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 140 · Anchorage, AKThe pilot’s mismanagement of fuel which resulted in fuel starvation and total loss of engine power during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the improperly marked fuel quantity gauges that failed to indicate a fuel quantity takeoff limitation.Apr 26, 2021 · N77219 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN19FA191Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper J3C · Elyria, OHA loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, and the pilot’s subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.Jun 30, 2019 · N98527 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN18LA317Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 120 · Pomona, MOThe pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing.Aug 6, 2018 · N76524 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA18FA152Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 140 · Daytona Beach, FLThe pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during the initial climb, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while turning back to the runway, which resulted in an exceedance of the…May 22, 2018 · N89864 · DestroyedNTSB CEN17LA089Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportErcoupe 415-C · Butterfield, TXA malfunction of the fuel transfer system for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, a stuck float in the header tank sight gauge that resulted in an inaccurate fuel quantity indication, and the pilot’s inadequate monitoring…Jan 28, 2017 · N94694 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN12LA203Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportEnbody Frank GY 201 Minicab · Granite Shoals, TXA loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a contaminated carburetor fuel screen. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from medications that degraded his decision-making and the pilot's improper maintenance of the airplane.Mar 24, 2012 · N416FC · Substantial damage