Cessna A185F accident near Kaktovik, Alaska, August 22, 2018
On August 22, 2018 at about 2:30 am local time, a 1973 Cessna A185F, registered N8041R, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Kaktovik, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during a steep turn with a low fuel state.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2018 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Kaktovik, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F F, built 1973 · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8041R · no longer on the register · serial 18502098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was maneuvering to land at a riverside gravel beach when the engine experienced a loss of power at low altitude. The pilot stated that the engine surged and he was not sure if it was a partial loss of power. He attempted to restore power by advancing the throttle, mixture and propeller controls; however, power was not restored. The pilot continued straight ahead and turned on the auxiliary fuel boost pump, and engine power was restored as the airplane impacted brush-covered terrain, resulting in substantial damage. The wreckage recovery crew observed almost no fuel in one tank and very little in the other. The pilot stated that fuel leaked out of the low wing fuel vent after the accident and he provided photographic evidence. The precise quantity of usable fuel at the time of the accident could not be determined. Given full fuel tanks at the time of departure and an average fuel flow of 13 gallons per hour, the fuel remaining about the time of the accident should have been about 17 gallons distributed between the two wing tanks, of which 6 gallons was considered unusable. A review of GPS data revealed that the engine experienced the power loss after the pilot performed a steep turn to survey the landing site. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was present in the fuel system components leading to the engine and the engine operated normally during a test run. It is likely that, during the steep turn with the airplane's low fuel state, a wing fuel tank pickup was unported, which resulted in an interruption of fuel supply to the engine and a loss of engine power. Due to the airplane's low altitude, the pilot was unable to restore power before impact with terrain.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,450 hours in all; 278 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,074 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 23, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,920.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 12,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-D (piston); 2,684 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kaktovik AK at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from PARC, 109 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 6, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Examination | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | GPS Graphic Data | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Cessna 185 Performance Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N8041R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.