- Date
- March 3, 1988, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Mcgrath, AK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1954UCessna A185E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19880303004409A
- Case key
- 4989
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The pilot had begun his descent for his destination airport 20 miles away when the engine lost all power. He was unable to restart the engine, and made a forced landing in deep snow. The pilot reported that he had been airborne for approximately two hours prior to the accident, and had ample fuel reserves when the engine stopped without warning. No reason for the loss of power was determined.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1954U
- Reported as
- Cessna A185E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18501665
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jack W. Zimmerly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 24, 1987
- Departed
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Destination
- MCG · Mcgrath, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,432 total · 153 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCG, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.