Cessna A185F accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, May 4, 1989
On May 4, 1989 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered CGCMT, was destroyed in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina (Douglas Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS DUE TO THE PILOT NOT ASSURING AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY FOR THE FLIGHT BY VISUAL INSPECTION DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN INACCURACY IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1989 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Douglas Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- CGCMT · no longer on the register · serial 185-02467
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE ACFT INDICATED THAT HE HAD THE ACFT REFUELED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM SARASOTA. HE QUESTIONED THE LINE PERSON, WHO DID THE REFUELING, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES WERE INACCURATE, SO HE ALWAYS FLEW BY ELAPSED TIME. APPROACHING CHARLOTTE, NC FROM THE SOUTH, HE CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LAND AT ROCK HILL, SC. AFTER SOME APPARENT CONSIDERATION, HE CHANGED HIS DESTINATION TO CHARLOTTE, WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT 14 MI AWAY. HE WAS BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 18L AT CHARLOTTE, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL AND WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON A SMALL LAKE, BECAME AIRBORNE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE SITE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,585 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 3, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 3,320 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D14 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQR Sarasota FL at 12:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18L, 7,845 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:31 pm from CLT, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.