Accident Overview
On August 24, 2023, at approximately 1730 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F airplane, registration N955LS, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Leonardtown, Maryland. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The private pilot and a designated pilot examiner (DPE) were not injured.
Sequence of Events
The private pilot was undergoing a checkride for a private pilot airplane single engine sea rating. The flight departed without incident from St. Mary's County Regional Airport (2W6) in Leonardtown. The pilot navigated to Saint Clements Bay, located about 8 miles west of the airport, to conduct the first water landing of the checkride. After circling near the planned landing area, the pilot entered a left downwind traffic pattern leg at approximately 800 ft above ground level (agl). During the downwind leg, the pilot reduced engine power to 20 inches of manifold pressure and lowered the flaps. Shortly thereafter, a subtle change in engine noise was heard. The pilot attempted to increase power, but the engine did not respond. The tachometer indicated a drop in rpm below 2200. As the airplane descended to about 600 ft agl, the pilot announced that the engine had lost power and instructed the DPE to take control.
The DPE assumed control and pushed the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls forward, but the engine did not respond. The DPE then switched fuel tanks and maneuvered the airplane toward a corn field ahead. During the forced landing, the airplane nosed over.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. The wings were removed for recovery, and an undetermined quantity of blue 100-low lead fuel—estimated to be sufficient for the flight—was drained from the airplane.
Examination of the fuel system revealed that both wing fuel pick-up points at the fuselage and wing attachment area provided positive fuel flow with the fuel selector positioned to BOTH, LEFT, and RIGHT. For an engine test run, the damaged propeller was replaced with a similar model. With minimal priming and fuel supplied from a gas tank placed above the fuselage, the engine started and operated at idle power. Engine power was increased to an estimated 1500 to 1800 rpm without anomaly. The tachometer was not functioning during the test run. The engine ran normally throughout the test with the fuel boost pump off.
Review of the airplane’s maintenance records indicated that the most recent annual inspection was completed on April 20, 2023. The engine had been overhauled and reinstalled on June 12, 2022, accumulating 139 hours since that overhaul.