Cessna A185F CG-ZVF

Summary

On 13 June 2012 at about 02:34 local time, a Cessna A185F registered CG-ZVF, operated by Robin Johnson, was involved in an accident near Winnett, Montana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 June 2012 at 02:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Winnett, Montana, United States

Coordinates

47.0119, -108.3536

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

CG-ZVF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robin Johnson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

High River → Billings

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR12LA263

Nobody was injured.

A momentary loss of engine power, which led to an emergency descent at night during which the airplane collided with a wire. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination and operation did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he recently purchased the accident airplane, which had previously been in storage. Before he departed, the airplane’s fuel tanks were filled and a preflight check revealed no contaminants. During the night flight, the pilot switched fuel tanks, and the engine sputtered and lost power. He attempted to restart the engine while descending toward a highway for a forced landing. After the pilot switched the fuel selector back to the original fuel tank, the engine restarted; however, moments later the airplane struck a transmission wire, which the pilot did not see until the last minute because of the dark lighting conditions. The pilot made a forced landing in a field. The pilot attributed the engine sputtering to undetected water in the fuel system; however, a postaccident examination of the fuel system revealed no contaminants, and operation of the engine showed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he had “recently lost his wife and had not been thinking correctly.” The pilot did not have a current flight review or medical certificate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.