Pilot Debrief

CESSNA A185F near Leonardtown, MD — 2023-08-24

Final reportERA23LA349
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Date
2023-08-24
Location
Leonardtown, MD, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA A185F
Registration
N955LS
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
downwind

Probable cause

A loss of engine power during an approach to landing for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot and designated pilot examiner (DPE) departed to complete a private pilot airplane single engine sea rating flight test in the float-equipped airplane. The private pilot navigated without incident to a nearby lake, circled, and entered a left downwind traffic pattern leg for the first water landing of the flight. During his landing checks, and shortly after he reduced engine power and added flaps, the engine lost power. The private pilot announced the loss of power and transferred control of the airplane to the DPE. The DPE pushed the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls forward; however, the engine did not respond. He then switched fuel tanks and navigated towards a corn field ahead. During the forced landing the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident test run of the fuel-injected engine found that it started and produced normal power with fuel being fed from an external fuel tank placed above the fuselage. Positive fuel flow was observed with the fuel selector placed in the BOTH, LEFT, and RIGHT positions. The loss of engine power could not be duplicated during postaccident testing, and the reason for the loss of engine power that occurred during the accident flight could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the landing when engine power decreased.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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