Cessna 185F accident near Carson City, Nevada, November 5, 2000
On November 5, 2000 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N185CY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson airport). 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
Fuel starvation precipitated by the pilot's continued use of the fuel selector valve that was not seating in the detents properly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2000 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N185CY · registry record · serial 18502839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a forced landing due to a loss of engine power, the airplane struck a berm, sheared off the landing gear, damaged both wings, and the fuselage. On takeoff the engine became quiet. The pilot heard the engine surge a couple of times, like it was running out of fuel. He also indicated that there was 80 gallons of fuel on board the airplane at the time of the accident. Witnesses heard the engine pop two or three times and saw a puff of white/bluish smoke emanating from the engine. An engine inspection was conducted, which included a fuel system and ignition system check. There were no mechanical anomalies found. A plastic ridge located around the fuel selector valve had been depressed and deformed down to allow the valve to not seat properly in any of the three position detents. The pilot stated that when the engine quit he did not physically or visually verify the fuel selector valve position.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1999; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXP at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 126°F (52°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from RNO, 22 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N185CY 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.