On September 4, 1998, a Cessna A185F (registration N1005F) was involved in an aviation accident near Bottineau, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's excessive use of brake pressure which resulted in the aircraft nosing over.. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot performing a precautionary landing in a field after an engine power shortage experienced a nose-over when the tail rose and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot attributed the rough engine to a failure to enrich the fuel mixture after leaning at altitude.
Incident Overview
A pilot conducting a precautionary landing following an engine power shortage lost control of the aircraft during the landing roll, resulting in the nose-over. The event occurred while the pilot was circling over his father's house.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that the engine experienced a 'power shortage' while circling. He elected to make a precautionary landing in a nearby field. During the landing, the tail of the aircraft rose, causing the propeller to contact the ground. The airplane then nosed over. The pilot stated that the engine may have been running rough because he had not enriched the mixture after leaning it at 5,000 feet.
Landing Details
The aircraft touched down approximately halfway into a field that was 1,000 feet long. After touchdown, the airplane traveled about 150 feet before nosing over. No tail wheel tracks were observed during the ground roll. The pilot had been known to land in this same field on previous occasions.