Cessna A185F CGCMT

Summary

On 4 May 1989 at about 16:13 local time, a Cessna A185F registered CGCMT, operated by James E. Woodcock, was involved in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 1989 at 16:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Douglas Int'l (CLT)

Coordinates

35.2300, -80.9090

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

CGCMT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James E. Woodcock

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sarasota → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89LA140

1 person had minor injuries.

COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS DUE TO THE PILOT NOT ASSURING AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY FOR THE FLIGHT BY VISUAL INSPECTION DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN INACCURACY IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE ACFT INDICATED THAT HE HAD THE ACFT REFUELED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM SARASOTA. HE QUESTIONED THE LINE PERSON, WHO DID THE REFUELING, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES WERE INACCURATE, SO HE ALWAYS FLEW BY ELAPSED TIME. APPROACHING CHARLOTTE, NC FROM THE SOUTH, HE CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LAND AT ROCK HILL, SC. AFTER SOME APPARENT CONSIDERATION, HE CHANGED HIS DESTINATION TO CHARLOTTE, WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT 14 MI AWAY. HE WAS BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 18L AT CHARLOTTE, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL AND WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON A SMALL LAKE, BECAME AIRBORNE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE SITE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.