Cessna A185F accident near Oroville, Washington, May 9, 1995
On May 9, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N1684R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oroville, Washington (Dorothy Scott airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DETERIORATED SEAL(S) ON THE FUEL TANK CAP(S), NON-COMPLIANCE WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO PREVENT WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE CAPS, AND THE PROXIMITY OF TREES 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
- May 9, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oroville, Washington · Dorothy Scott · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1684R · no longer on the register · serial 18502407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, SHE NOTED THAT THE EGT WAS RISING AFTER THE AIRPLANE HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 700 FEET. SHE TURNED ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT, AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF RUNWAY 33. DURING AN INSPECTION, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL FILLER CAP SEALS AND SEATS WERE FOUND CRACKED AND DETERIORATED. THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT AN AIR WORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD 84-10-01) HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. THIS AD ADDRESSED THE PREVENTION OF WATER CONTAMINATION DUE TO LEAKING CAP SEALS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,090 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 931 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1995; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,010 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.