# Accident 20200720010869A: Cessna 182A, Birdsboro, PA, July 20, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 20, 2020, 21:30 local time - Place: Birdsboro, PA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.2775° N, 75.7872° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2775&lon=-75.7872&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4092D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4092D-2021-10-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 182A (registry code 2072704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot, student - Pilot flight hours: 520 total, 37 in this make and model, 84 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA258) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200720010869A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON JULY 20, 2020 AT 2130 LOCAL A CE-182A MADE AND EMERGENCY LANDING ON RT. 422 NEAR BIRDSBORO PA. DURING A POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED PORTSMOUTH AIRPORT (PSM) DIRECT SMOKETOWN AIRPORT (S37) WITH 55 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 2 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. WHILE AT 4500 FT MSL, 22.1 MILES FROM THEIR DESTINATION, HE SAID THAT HE NOTICED A DECREASE IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND DRIFTED DOWN TO 3700 FT. HE THEN CONTACTED APPROACH, ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION, AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE SPEED AND BEGAN LOOKING TO LAND AT EITHER READING (RDG) OR POTTSTOWN (N47). HE DETERMINED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO EITHER AIRPORT AND DECIDED THAT HIS BEST OPTION WAS TO LAND ON RT. 422 SINCE IT WAS NIGHT AND IT WAS THE ONLY LIT UP AREA IN THE VICINITY. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TWO VEHICLES BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STILL HAD PARTIAL POWER (1200 RPM) DURING THE FLARE. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY OIL ON THE COWLING OR ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING A POST FLIGHT WALK AROUND. ON JULY 22, 2020 A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED BY INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: THE FUEL STRAINER WAS FOUND FULL AND CLEAN, WITH FUEL CONSISTENT WITH 100LL, AND CONTAINING NO WATER. THE OIL FILTER WAS REMOVED, CUT OPEN, AND INSPECTED FOR METALLIC PARTICLES WITH NONE NOTED. THE OIL LEVEL WAS CORRECT AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE CONDITION. THE AIR FILTER WAS REMOVED AND FOUND TO BE SERVICEABLE, AND THE CARBURETOR THROAT WAS CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS. THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE CONTROL, AND CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND BOTH MAGNETOS CHECKED FOR OPERATION WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. A FIELD COMPRESSION CHECK OF ALL 6 CYLINDERS WAS ACCOMPLISHED (USING MY THUMB), AND ALL CYLINDERS APPEAR TO HAVE GOOD COMPRESSION. THE ON-SITE MECHANIC ASSEMBLED A 1-QUART FUEL CAN AND ATTACHED IT TO THE RIGHT WING FUEL PICK-UP FOR ENGINE RUNS. ENGINE RUNS WERE ACCOMPLISHED TWICE, WITH THE SECOND RUN GOING TO POWER AT 2400+RPM, AND NO ANOMALIES. ALL INDICATIONS WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE AND PROPELLER LOGBOOKS REVEALS NO MAINTENANCE ISSUES, AND ALL INSPECTIONS ARE UP-TO-DATE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON JULY 16, 2020. THE A & P MECHANIC INVOLVED IN THE AIRCRAFT DISASSEMBLY AND REMOVAL FROM ACCIDENT SCENE STATED THAT THE RIGHT WING TANK HAD ABSOLUTELY NO FUEL IN IT AND THE LEFT WING TANK HAD ABOUT 4 GALLONS OF FUEL IN IT. DURING A SECONDARY INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT HE WAS ASKED IF HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL BEFORE DEPARTING PSM. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER. ## 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 ERA20LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA258), Jul 21, 2020: Cessna 182 (N4092D), Pottstown, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure that sufficient fuel was onboard for nonlevel flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. 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.