# Accident 19960718018289A: Cessna A188B, Merced, CA, July 18, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 1996, 06:00 local time
- Place: Merced, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: J3RG
- Location: 37.3507° N, 120.4194° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3507&lon=-120.4194&mi=10
- Aircraft: N731YT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N731YT-2016-11-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A188B (registry code 2073005, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a188b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A188B
- Reported engine: CONT IO520D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,849 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 84 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX96LA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA276) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960718018289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER RETURNING TO BASE. HIT FENCE AND POSTS LANDING ON RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY. FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX96LA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA276), Jul 18, 1996: Cessna A188B (N731YT), Merced, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to ensure that adequate fuel was onboard to complete the flight.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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