# Accident 20020626014869A: Cessna 180G, Tucumcari, NM, June 26, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 26, 2002, 11:27 local time - Place: Tucumcari, NM - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.1602° N, 103.7198° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1602&lon=-103.7198&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2443C (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180G - Reported engine: CONT IO550D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,950 total, 800 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN02LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA061) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020626014869A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JUNE 26, 2002, AT 1127 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 180, N2443C, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, 5 MILES EAST OF THE TUCUMCARI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (TCC), TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT OZARK, ARKANSAS, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO TUCUMCARI. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE ALBUQUERQUE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) CONTROLLER SUGGESTED THE PILOT PROCEED TO TCC TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. THE PILOT AGREED. THE ARTCC CONTROLLER NEXT TOLD THE PILOT TO REPORT THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT THE ENGINE PROBLEM HAD REOCCURRED AND THAT HE WAS 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND WAS GOING TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LOST ENGINE POWER, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE BROKEN AFT AND CRUSHED UPWARD INTO THE AIRPLANE'S CABIN. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER AND TO ONE OF THE AIRPLANE'S WING TIPS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS OBSERVED IN THE "BOTH" POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. (-23) ON JUNE 27, 2002, AT 1125 MST, A CESSNA 180 N2443C REGISTERED TO ROBERT C. PETERSON, COLLIDED WITH MESQUITE BUSH DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD NEAR TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO, DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT OZARK-FRANKLIN COUNTY, ARKANSAS, ON JUNE 27, 2002. (.4) ON JUNE 26, 2002, AT 1127 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 180, N2443C, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, 5 MILES EAST OF THE TUCUMCARI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (TCC), TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT OZARK, ARKANSAS, AT 0915 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO TUCUMCARI. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS COCKPIT PREFLIGHT CHECKS, HE NEGLECTED TO PLACE THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH ON "BOTH." THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES, HE BEGAN A DESCENT FOR LANDING AT TCC, AND "PULLED THE PROP RPM BACK SLIGHTLY." THE PILOT SAID, "THE INSTANT I REDUCED THE RPM THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE ..." THE PILOT SAID HE BECAME FIXATED ON THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR AS THE PROBLEM. "WHEN I RETURNED TO CRUISE RPM, IT SMOOTHED OUT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN BEGAN SURGING AGAIN AND THEN STOPPED PRODUCING POWER." THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY PICKED OUT A DIRT ROAD TO LAND ON. THE PILOT SAID, "AGAIN, I FAILED TO USE THE CHECKLIST." THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS CLEAR OF ALL FENCES AND OBSTACLES WHEN HE TOUCHED THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON THE ROAD, BUT DURING ROLLOUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SMALL TREE, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO SWERVE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACT INTO A DITCH. THE PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE BROKEN AFT AND CRUSHED UPWARD INTO THE AIRPLANE'S CABIN. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, ENGINE COWLING, FORWARD FUSELAGE, AND TO THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING TIP. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS OBSERVED IN THE "BOTH" POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. ## 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 DEN02LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA061), Jun 26, 2002: Cessna 180 (N2443C), Tucumcari, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to the proper tank resulting in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.