What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated he fueled the aircraft to capacity before flight on the day of the accident. He stated he flew N20KK from D25 to asx where he completed a biennial flight review. After completion of the review he flew N20KK to lnl where he picked up a passenger and proceeded to fly back to D25. The pilot stated that on final approach to runway 32 at D25 the aircraft engine sputtered and quit. He stated he retracted the 20 degrees of flap he had set, in an effort to make the runway. N20KK contacted the trees short of the runway and crashed into scrub trees and brush approximately 500 feet short of the runway sustaining substantial damage. Investigation at the scene indicated the aircraft had less than one gallon of fuel onboard. The aircraft flight manual for the Cessna 180 states 5.0 gallons of fuel are unusable. The engine was serviced with fuel, started and it ran normally. There was no evidence of any fuel spill or drainage at the accident site. The pilot stated he did not detect the smell of any fuel after the accident nor did he visually check the fuel before departure from lnl.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED HE FUELED THE AIRCRAFT TO CAPACITY BEFORE FLIGHT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED HE FLEW N20KK FROM D25 TO ASX WHERE HE COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE REVIEW HE FLEW N20KK TO LNL WHERE HE PICKED UP A PASSENGER AND PROCEEDED TO FLY BACK TO D25. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 32 AT D25 THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. HE STATED HE RETRACTED THE 20 DEGREES OF FLAP HE HAD SET, IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. N20KK CONTACTED THE TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO SCRUB TREES AND BRUSH APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT HAD LESS THAN ONE GALLON OF FUEL ONBOARD. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL FOR THE CESSNA 180 STATES 5.0 GALLONS OF FUEL ARE UNUSABLE. THE ENGINE WAS SERVICED WITH FUEL, STARTED AND IT RAN NORMALLY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL SPILL OR DRAINAGE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT DETECT THE SMELL OF ANY FUEL AFTER THE ACCIDENT NOR DID HE VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL BEFORE DEPARTURE FROM LNL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.