Date:	Monday 6 September 2021
Time:	15:15 LT
Type:	Cessna A185F Skywagon
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N7574N
MSN:	18504326
Year of manufacture:	1981
Total airframe hrs:	3558 hours
Engine model:	Continental IO550D13B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	about five miles E of Kingdsley, Plymouth County, IA -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Wisconsin Rapids-Alexander Field, WI (ISW/KISW)
Destination airport:	Sioux City, IA (sux)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot reported that before departing on a cross-country flight, he added 42 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, which appeared to fill both inboard wing fuel tanks. He calculated a 17-gallon-per-hour fuel burn for the 2 hour and 45-minute flight. While in cruise flight, about 2.5 hours after departure, a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and he executed a forced landing to a corn field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.

Postaccident examination revealed that both left and right fuel tanks were intact. The fuel filler necks and collars were removed from both wings for internal inspection of the rubberized, bladder fuel cells. The cell from the left tank exhibited minor wrinkling, but overall was still attached to the cell's snaps and fittings. When the right cell was examined, it was discovered to be unsecured from the outboard and aft edges with the cell folded and wrinkled inboard to the outboard fuel filler neck.

The investigation was unable to determine the extent to which the loose fuel cell bladders would have affected actual fuel quantity and unusable fuel. However, given the lack of malfunctions or anomalies noted during the examination and the lack of fuel present in the gascolator, it is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.

Probable Cause: The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of an unsecured fuel bladder, which reduced the fuel capacity of the affected tank.

NTSB CEN21LA406
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N7574N

https://flightaware.com/photos/view/1104930-800df35ea84690ff3ca7dfc8ee0e4707fa21dbf8/aircraft/N7574N/sort/votes/page/1

FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


29 January 2006

N7574N

private

0

Pembroke, Massachusetts

sub

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Sep-2021 01:16	Geno	Added
07-Sep-2021 03:46	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
07-Sep-2021 17:51	Anon.	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, ]
07-Sep-2021 17:52	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ]
07-Sep-2021 19:05	Anon.	Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Source, ]