Cessna 185F accident near Sanford, Maine, May 12, 1991
On May 12, 1991 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N1745R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PROCEDURE BY NOT PLACING THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE TANK WITH THE MOST FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND A FORCED LANDING IN TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1991 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1745R · registry record · serial 18502465
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE HAD FILLED THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND ADDED 10 GALLONS TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FOR A FLIGHT HE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 50 MINUTES IN DURATION. ABOUT 40 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION THE PILOT THOUGHT THE FUEL GAGES WERE READING TOO LOW. HE DESCENDED, BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CHECK FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT WAS TOO LOW TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING INTO TREES. THE FAA EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE AND FOUND APPROXIMATELY 18 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND FOUND THE RIGHT TANK EMPTY.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-560 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GVE Greenville ME at 4:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Derry NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC91LA234.