Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cedarville, Michigan 49719
Tuesady, October 14, 2003 18:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane contacted rough terrain during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he had 11 gallons of fuel on board for the 15 minute flight and approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, the engine lost power. He reported he activated the fuel pump and the engine momentarily gained power. He stated the fuel selector was on "Both", the left fuel tank was indicating empty, and the right fuel tank was varying between 1/8 and 1/4 full. The pilot reported he was over a heavily wooded area when the engine lost power and he picked out a small clearing in which to land the airplane. He stated the clearing contained logs, rocks, stumps, and ruts, which were contacted during the forced landing. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed 12 gallons of fuel were drained from the right fuel tank and a little over 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the left fuel tank. The fuel selector was found in the "Both" position. The inspection failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction that would have resulted in the loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor associated with the accident was the rough terrain on which the airplane was landed.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/14/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1800 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Cedarville |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49719 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 460205N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0460209W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1815 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CIU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 800 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 23 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.56 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17269 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 14 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1952 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Grand Rapids, MI FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3399L |
| NTSB Number | CHI04LA023 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | A185E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 185-1351 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 8 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 134 |
| Airframe Hours | 4630 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cockburn Investments, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 227 Mariners Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bear |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19701 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Lonnie E. Avra |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 629 E. Copeland Road |
| Operator City | Coldwater |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49036 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 5Y1 |
| Departure City | Hessel |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1750 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | Y66 |
| Destination City | Drumman Island |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |