DEN05CA132

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 180J · Afton, WY · August 27, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 27, 2005, 08:02 local (14:02 UTC)
Place
Afton, WY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N91245Cessna 180J
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 20, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Casper, Wyoming
FAA report
20050827018359A
Case key
62352

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

loss of engine power for reasons undetermined.

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.

Loss of engine powerApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water collision with objectEmergency descent/landing
Object - fence

Analysis

According to the pilot, he reduced power, applied carburetor heat, and descended towards the airport. He applied power approximately 200 feel agl to stabilize the approach, but the engine did not respond. He stated that the propeller was windmilling, but the engine was not producing any power. He made a forced landing in a field. The airplane struck a fence post, and a parked car, and ground looped before coming to rest 200 yards short of the airport.

Factual narrative

On August 27, 2005, at 0802 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180J, N91245, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing south of the Afton Municipal Airport (AFO), Afton, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained no injuries. The cross-country flight originated at Morgan, Utah, at 0700, and was en route to Afton, Wyoming.

According to the pilot, he approached AFO in the traffic pattern. On final approach, he reduced power, applied carburetor heat, and descended towards the airport. He applied throttle approximately 200 feel agl to stabilize the approach, but the engine did not respond. He stated that the propeller was windmilling, but the engine was not producing any power. He made a forced landing in a field. The airplane struck a fence post, and a parked car, and ground looped before coming to rest 200 yards short of the airport. The left wing was crushed up and aft, the left stabilizer was destroyed, and the right wing spar was bent aft. An examination of the airplane's engine, engine controls, and other systems revealed no anomalies.

Aircraft

Registration
N91245
Reported as
Cessna 180J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18052464
Airframe hours
1,854.6
Engine
Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Doug Compton
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 1, 2005 · 8.3 hours before
Departed
42U · Morgan, UT
Destination
AFO · Afton, WY
Airport
AFO · Afton Municipal Airport

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
53
Injuries
None
Certificates
Military, Commercial, Private, Flight engineer, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 1, 2005
Seat
Left
Flight hours
19,000 total · 800 in this make and model · 19,000 as pilot in command · 330 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
43 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.29 inHg
Observed at
AFO

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.