# NTSB NYC95LA002: Cessna 185F, N53074, Rochester, MA, October 9, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 9, 1994, 11:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Rochester, MA - Location: 41.7318° N, 70.8200° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rochester, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7318&lon=-70.8200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 23, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38878 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38878/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA002 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadeqaute calculation of fuel and inadeqaute inflight decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING THE POND FOR A LANDING IN THE FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE POND, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND 1 GALLON OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENGINE WAS PLACED IN A TEST STAND AND STARTED. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED IN HIS REPORT: 'THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AT VARIOUS POWER SETTINGS...WITH NO APPARENT MALFUNCTIONS.' ## Factual narrative On Saturday, October 9, 1994, at 1150 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 185F, N53074, a float-equipped airplane, registered to and piloted by Walter P. Faria, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in Rochester, Massachusetts. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed Nantucket Bay, Massachusetts, destined for a pond in Rochester. The pilot stated that there were 18 gallons of fuel on the airplane prior to departure. As he was approaching the pond for a VFR landing, the engine quit. He was unable to glide the airplane to the pond, so he attempted to land in a cranberry bog. The airplane struck trees during the forced landing. In his report, the pilot stated: [After the accident] I went back to the accident scene and watched as approximately 18 gallons of gasoline was taken from the plane. An FAA Inspector examined the wreckage and observed that there was no fuel in the right tank and 1 gallon in the left tank. On October 20, 1994, the engine was installed on a test stand and started under the supervision of the FAA Inspector. In his report, the inspector stated: The engine was started and ran for approximately 15 minutes at various power settings ranging from 500 RPM's to 2400 RPM's with no apparent malfunctions. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53074](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53074-1997-10-14), registration cancelled 1997-10-14, S/N 18502359 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 185F - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18502359 - Airframe hours: 1897 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Walter P. Faria - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 3, 1993, 20 hours before - Departed: NONE, NANTUCKET, MA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 2, expired; seat: left; flight hours: 1,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 20 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19941009034219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941009034219A), Oct 9, 1994: Cessna A185F, Rochester, MA, Substantial damage. Approach to land floatplane in pond. Engine quit. Hit trees. No usable fuel on board. Engine test normal. 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.