- Date
- July 14, 1998, 17:00 local (Jul 15, 1998, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mcgrath, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2750JCessna 185E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980714016639A
- Case key
- 43067
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of engine power for a undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the trees.
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.
Analysis
The pilot was flying the airplane to a repair station for an inspection of the engine. He had noticed metal particulate matter in the engine oil during the last oil change, and felt the engine needed a mechanical inspection. While climbing to cruise, the engine shuddered, and lost all power. The pilot said he was unable to return to his departure airport, and made a forced landing on a dirt road. The airplane struck trees along the road, and received substantial damage. The airplane is in a remote location, and has not been recovered, or inspected by the NTSB.
Factual narrative
On July 14, 1998, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N2750J, received substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off airport forced landing near McGrath, Alaska. The solo commercial certificated pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions, and a VFR flight plan was in effect. The flight originated at McGrath about 1650, and the destination was Palmer, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on the day of the accident, the pilot related the purpose of the flight was to ferry the airplane to an engine repair facility in Palmer for an inspection. He said he had noticed some aluminum-type particulate matter in the engine oil during the last oil change, and wanted the engine inspected. He said the accident flight proceeded normally as he climbed the airplane to about 8,000 feet msl. At that time, the engine begin to shudder violently, and then quit. He said he attempted to return to the McGrath Airport, but was unable to glide that far. He selected a road about one mile east of the airport for an emergency landing. During the ensuing landing roll, the left wing struck willow trees, and the airplane was pulled to the left and into a ditch, causing substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage.
The engine from the accident airplane has not been recovered and made available to the NTSB for inspection. It is unknown when, or if, the engine will be brought to a repair facility for inspection, and there are no suitable aviation repair/inspection facilities in McGrath.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2750J
- Reported as
- Cessna 185E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1851500
- Airframe hours
- 4,360
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James F. Ellis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 8, 1998 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- MCG
- Destination
- PAQ · Palmer, 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,168 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 6,990 as pilot in command · 207 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCG, 270 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.
Other investigations on N2750J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.