On March 11, 1996, a Cessna A185E (registration N712MY) operated by Folsom's Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Shirley, ME. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to switch fuel tanks before the right tank was empty, resulting in fuel starvation. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot lost total engine power during a timber survey flight after running the right fuel tank dry. The pilot reported no mechanical issues and cited failure to switch tanks before depletion.
Accident Details
A pilot intended to conduct a survey flight of timber property. The airplane departed with 10 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank and 15 gallons in the left fuel tank. About 5 minutes after departure, the pilot repositioned the fuel selector valve from the both position to the right position. The flight was continued for approximately 45 minutes with the fuel selector selected to the right fuel tank. The engine then lost total power as the pilot performed a right turn.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft. The pilot stated, "I neglected to switch before the tank was completely empty." The pilot further stated that the accident could have been prevented by "better management of the fuel system. After the engine quit I should have turned the boost pump on and switched to BOTH on the fuel selector, or simply run on BOTH the entire flight."
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to switch fuel tanks before the right tank was empty, resulting in fuel starvation.
What happened in the 11 Mar 1996 Cessna A185E accident near Shirley, ME?
A pilot lost total engine power during a timber survey flight after running the right fuel tank dry. The pilot reported no mechanical issues and cited failure to switch tanks before depletion.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 11 Mar 1996 involved a Cessna A185E, registration N712MY, operated by Folsom's Air Service, at Shirley, ME.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's failure to switch fuel tanks before the right tank was empty, resulting in fuel starvation.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…