Cessna A185F N1839R accident near La Mesa, California

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed the airport to relocate the airplane to another nearby airport. The pilot calculated he would need about 5 gallons of fuel to complete the flight. The pilot stated he planned to refuel at another local airport. He stated that one month before the accident, the fuel tanks were filled. He reported that he did not visually check each tank's fuel level during his preflight, but the fuel gauges indicated there was about 16 gallons of fuel on board. About 1,700 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported that the engine had lost power during cruise flight. The engine briefly gained power for about 10 seconds before losing all power again. The pilot decided to land the airplane in a residential area and the right wing struck a powerline on landing approach and crash-landed in a parking lot. Subsequently, the airplane struck a fence and dense vegetation and came to rest in a ravine. The airplane's fuselage and wings were substantially damaged.

Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. Due to the damage sustained to the engine, an engine run was not performed. Since the pilot did not visually inspect the amount of fuel in both tanks before the accident flight, it is possible that the engine had a fuel starvation or exhaustion event due to an unreliable fuel gauge; however, the reason for the total loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR23LA264 for the full record.