# NTSB ATL94LA138: Cessna 182P, N21380, Greenville, SC, July 14, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 14, 1994, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Greenville, SC - Coordinates: 34.85979, -82.299507 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8598&lon=-82.2995&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3416 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL94LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3416/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94LA138 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - fluid,fuel - starvation - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A DESCENT CLEARANCE TWENTY MILES SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. HE COMPLETED AN ARRIVAL CHECK, WHICH INCLUDED THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT, CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITION, AND ESTABLISHED A 500 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT FROM 5000 FEET. UPON ARRIVING AT 2500 FEET THE PILOT APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED, AND THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY ROAD FOR THE FORCED LANDING. DURING THE APPROACH DESCENT TO LAND, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AVAILABLE TO MAKE A SAFE LANDING ON THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES SHORT OF AN ALTERNATE LANDING SITE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE IMPACT, UPON RETURNING TO THE AIRPLANE THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO REVEAL A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ## Factual narrative On July 14, 1994, at 0915 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182, N21380, collided with a stand of trees on final approach to Greenville Downtown Airport, following a complete loss of engine power near Greenville, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, with an approach clearance. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the pilot was not injured and the passenger received minor injuries. The instrument flight departed Eastman, Georgia, at 0809 hours. The pilot was issued a descent clearance twenty miles south of the destination airport. According to the pilot, he completed the following arrival check items: the application of carburetor heat, changed the fuel selector position and reduced the throttle to achieve a 500 foot per minute rate of descent from 5000 feet. Upon arriving at 2500 feet, the assigned altitude, the pilot advanced the throttle control to arrest the descent rate, but discovered that the engine had quit. Attempts by the pilot to restore full power failed; the pilot selected a nearby road for a forced landing. While on final approach to the road, the pilot realized that he had insufficient altitude available to make a safe landing on the road. As the pilot maneuvered for a landing at an alternate landing site, the airplane collided with a stand of trees short of the alternate landing site. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot and passenger exited the airplane but when the pilot returned to the airplane he noticed that the fuel selector was in the fuel off position. According to the pilot, during the before landing check, he accidentally rotated the fuel selector to the off position. No mechanical problems were discovered with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21380](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21380-1997-02-06), registration cancelled 1997-02-06, S/N 18261598 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P - Registry model: [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (registry code 2075816) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18261598 - Airframe hours: 2222 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Lewis, Randell P. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 7, 1994, 18 hours before - Departed: EZM, EASTMAN, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GMU, Greenville Downtown, runway 36, 5,392 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 589 total, 387 in this make and model, 512 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GMU, 3 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940714018359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940714018359A), Jul 14, 1994: Cessna 182P, Greenville, SC, Substantial damage. Lost power on descent to airport. Struck tree landing on road. Had inadvertenly turned fuel off on landing check. 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. --- 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.