NTSB LAX87LA049 — 1986-11-25 · FRESNO, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N11185

Make / Model: CESSNA A185F
Year of manufacture: 1980 · 6 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19800407
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A03378

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N11185 Cessna 150L Minor

Factual narrative

DURING A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE ON THE BASE LEG AT THE FRESNO AIRPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT FEEL THAT HE COULD MAKE THE RUNWAY DUE TO AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND AND LOW ALTITUDE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO TRY AND LAND IN A PLOWED FIELD TO HIS RIGHT THEN DECIDED NOT TO BECAUSE OF A FENCE. THE PILOT THEN CHOSE A NEARBY ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 1 GALLON OF FUEL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX87LA049.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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