# NTSB GAA18CA468: Cessna 185, N9867X, Lovelock, NV, August 5, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 5, 2018, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Lovelock, NV - Coordinates: 40.167778, -118.533332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1678&lon=-118.5333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 98000 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA468 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98000/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98000 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA468 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Terrain: sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 270 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he descended the airplane due to strong winds and determined that the airplane had about 10.9 gallons of fuel remaining, which he equated to about 1 hour of flight. He added that, about 6 miles from the destination airport, the airplane "ran out of gas" and that the engine lost power. He performed a forced landing on a field, and, during the landing flare, the left main landing gear impacted a berm near the edge of the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he descended the airplane due to "stronger" winds and determined that the airplane had about 10.9 gallons of fuel remaining, which he equated to about one hour of flight. About six miles from the destination airport, the airplane "ran out of gas" and the engine lost power. He performed a forced landing on a field, but the left main landing gear impacted a berm near the edge of the field during the landing flare. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9867X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9867X), registered now, S/N 185-0067 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Cessna 185](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185) (registry code 2072802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-470-series) (registry code 17044, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 185-0067 - Year built: 1961 - Engines: Continental IO 520 D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 5, 2018, 4,266 hours before - Departed: 3U2, Yellow Pine, ID - Destination: Lovelock, NV - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 26, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 967 total, 234 in this make and model, 1,000 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KLOL, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180805010169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180805010169A), Aug 5, 2018: Cessna 185, Lovelock, NV, Substantial damage. The pilot departed 3U2 with 39.9 gallons of fuel onboard. The pilot planned 2.5 hours to his next fuel stop at lol with a fuel burn of 10.5 to 11 gallons per… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98000. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473180&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473181&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.