Cessna A185F accident near Fowler, California, February 7, 2004
On February 7, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N8702Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fowler, California. 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 pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fowler, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8702Z · registry record · serial 18502897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made an off airport landing in a field following a total loss of engine power. While in cruise flight, about 25 miles north of the pilot's planned destination, the engine lost power. He switched the fuel selector to the left position, but the engine would not restart. After clearing several power lines, he made a forced landing in a sandy, dirt field. On the landing rollout, more than halfway across the field, he applied brake pressure and the wheels dug into the soft terrain. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot had recently bought the airplane and had only accumulated about 2-3 hours in it. He thought that the accident was the result of fuel exhaustion, and noted that he did not use the electric boost pump while attempting a restart due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane. Four gallons were drained from the fuel system after the accident. According to the FAA approved flight manual for the airplane, the fuel system total capacity is 80 gallons, with 6 gallons unusable. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-540-D24M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q40 Sunset Sky Ranc CA
- Destination: VIS Visalia CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8702Z 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.