NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX87LA049
Registry · N11185
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
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
Registrant of record
STANCIL JOE E JR
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
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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