Cessna 180A accident near Goose Lake, Iowa, October 27, 1995
On October 27, 1995, a Cessna 180A, registered N185F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goose Lake, Iowa. 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
inadequate maintenance, inadequate preflight by the pilot, and a loose fuel tank cap that allowed siphoning of fuel, buckling of the right fuel bladder, fuel exhaustion, and loss of engine power. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the soft terrain and crop in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1995
- Place
- Goose Lake, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N185F · registry record · serial 50123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/OWNER WAS FLYING AN AIRPLANE THAT HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK BLADDER. AFTER BEING EN ROUTE FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 50 MINUTES, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. DURING A SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND WAS DAMAGED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A WRINKLED RIGHT BLADDER FUEL TANK AND A FUEL STAIN AFT OF THE LEFT FUEL CAP. VERY LITTLE FUEL WAS FOUND ONBOARD. FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT TANK AND THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE (STC) SA4121SW. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE ENTRY IN THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOK REGARDING THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED TO COMPLY WITH ALL CONDITIONS OF THE STC. CESSNA SERVICE BULLETIN (SB) SEB88-1 WAS APPLICABLE TO THE STC. AN INSTRUCTION OF THE SB WAS ' . . . TO ADD A STRIP OF FOAM SEAL AROUND THE WING STRUT UNDER THE UPPER STRUT CUFF. THIS SEALING PREVENTS AIR FLOWING INSIDE THE CUFF AND DISRUPTION OF PROPER FUEL VENTING DUE TO VORTEX GENERATION FORWARD OF THE VENT TUBE . . .' THE SB ALSO NOTED THAT EXCESSIVE GAPS BETWEEN THE WING STRUT AND STRUT CUFF COULD CAUSE FUEL BLADDER TANK WRINKLING, UNSNAPPING AND INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATIONS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,750 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANE Minneapolis MN at 10:35 pm
- Destination: PIA Peoria IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; ovct at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.