Cessna A185 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, September 27, 2018
On September 27, 2018 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna A185, registered N70391, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fairbanks, 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
The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2018 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185 F, built 1973 · all A185s on the register
- Registration
- N70391 · registry record · serial 18502144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before departure for the 24-minute roundtrip flight, the airplane was refueled; 25 gallons of useable fuel was on board the airplane. The fuel quantity was confirmed with a custom-made fuel dipstick before departure. After landing at a lake, the pilot departed for the return flight. While in level cruise flight, at an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl), the engine lost total power. In an effort to restore power, the pilot switched fuel tanks and activated the fuel boost pump to no avail. He performed an emergency descent to a landing on a small lake, during which the airplane impacted trees, the floats separated from the fuselage, and the airplane came to rest partially submerged with substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that both left and right fuel tanks were intact; however, the fuel bladders were loose in the tank cavity with wrinkles present. About 2 gallons of fuel were recovered from the fuel tanks. The fuel line between the fuel pump and the fuel control unit was removed, and about 2 tablespoons of fluid that was light blue in color and consistent with 100LL AvGas was recovered. The fuel line between the fuel control unit and fuel manifold was removed, and no fluid was present. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of malfunctions or anomalies. The airplane was equipped with optional long-range fuel tanks. According to the owner's manual, the total unusable fuel for an aircraft equipped with long-range fuel tanks is 6 gallons. The investigation was unable to determine if the loose fuel bladders were a result of the accident or recovery and what impact they would have had on fuel quantity and unusable fuel. However, given the lack of malfunctions or anomalies noted during the engine examination and the lack of fluid present in the fuel lines, it is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 242 in the last 90 days; 238 in the last 30 days; 1,828 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 5, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,389.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 1,232 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbanks AK
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAFA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2020. 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 | Photos | 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.
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.