Accident Overview
On October 19, 2008, at approximately 1530 central daylight time, a single-engine Cessna A185F airplane, registration N93291, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a reported loss of engine power while executing a missed approach procedure after a practice instrument landing system approach at Brazoria County Airport (KLBX), near Angleton, Texas. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed for the local personal flight.
Aircraft and Engine Details
The 1976 model airplane was powered by a 300-horsepower fuel-injected Continental IO-520D engine, serial number 554473-H. The engine had accumulated 194.6 hours since its last overhaul on January 24, 2003. The pilot reported that the airplane was recovered from a local paint shop the day prior to the accident, where it had been for several weeks undergoing a complete repaint.
Pilot Report and Events
The pilot stated that the purpose of the local flight was to flight-test features of a newly installed autopilot system. During a practice missed approach from Runway 17, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. As the pilot initiated a 180-degree turn to return to the airport, the engine lost total power. The pilot elected to execute a forced landing in an open field. During the landing, the airplane could not clear tall trees on the approach end of the field, and the left wing collided with trees. The airplane came to rest upright, and no fire occurred.
Damage Assessment
An FAA inspector at the accident site reported that the tail-wheel-equipped airplane sustained a collapsed right main landing gear strut and damage to the right wing. The outboard portions of both wings were damaged from contact with treetops prior to ground impact. All three propeller blades were bent aft around the engine cowling with no signs of rotational damage, and the propeller spinner was undamaged.
Pilot Experience
The pilot reported a total flight time of 1,245 hours, with 44 hours in the same make and model, and 11 hours in the preceding 90 days.
Engine Examination and Run
The airplane was transported to a secure location near Lancaster, Texas, for further examination. Minor damage to the engine was noted. The investigator-in-charge elected to attempt an engine run. After replacing the propeller and attaching an external fuel container to the left side fuel system, the engine was run while still mounted on the airframe. The engine ran successfully for the first seven minutes; a few seconds later, fuel pressure dropped and the engine stopped. The airframe was moved into a hangar for a detailed fuel system examination, which revealed no discrepancies or anomalies. The engine was run a second time at high power settings for over 8 minutes without further anomalies. The investigation concluded that the reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
Conclusion
No probable cause was established by the investigation.