Cessna A185E accident near Englewood, Colorado, May 8, 2004
On May 8, 2004 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N185K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which failed to verify an adequate fuel supply and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The inadequate indication of his fuel quantity system is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2004 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N185K · registry record · serial 18501887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been cleared to land and was following slower traffic. He reduced airspeed and made a constant left turn. When he rolled out on final approach, he opened the throttle to arrest the descent rate. The engine did not respond although it was still running. He relaxed back pressure on the control yoke to maintain airspeed and banked slightly to land on a steep incline short of the runway. The descent rate increased and the airplane impacted the incline. Postaccident examination revealed the main landing gear was torn out of the fuselage, the firewall was buckled, and the forward portion of the fuselage aft of the firewall was wrinkled. One year earlier, a fuel management system was installed in the airplane. The system digitally indicates, by the toggling of a switch, total fuel on board, consumption rate, endurance, and fuel remaining. The pilot said that prior to taking off for the 8-mile flight, he checked the fuel quantity and it indicated 10.1 gallons. After the accident, he again checked the fuel quantity and it indicated 8.0 gallons. If properly installed and calibrated correctly, the system will indicated no more than a plus or minus 1.0 gallon error. The recovery crew drained one gallon from all the fuel tanks. The pilot said that several months before the accident, the bracket that secured the throttle cable to the firewall broke. Maintenance records contained no entry of a repair being made. Although the engine had been pushed aft and buckled the firewall, cockpit movement of the throttle produced cable movement at the throttle valve.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 651 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2003; 119 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1CO8 Parker CO at 3:10 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 10,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:23 pm from APA
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.
Other NTSB records under N185K 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.