- Date
- March 3, 1985, 21:17 local (Mar 4, 1985, 02:17 UTC)
- Place
- Frederick, MD
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6388ACessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11127
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flt at 7500 ft the RPM started to decrease until the plt stated that 'it was just like you ran out of gas.' The acft collided with a wooden pwrline pole during the night forced lndg and came to rest inverted. Investigation revealed about 20 gallons of red avgas in the rt tank and 1 gallon in the left tank. Aprx 3 ozs of liquid were drained from the carb which analysis concluded the majority of it to be water. Maintenance records revealed that wing tank sump drains had been installed in may of 1983 and and the AD dealing with water contamination of the fuel system caused by wrinkles/folds in the tank bladders had been signed off in September 1984. The mechanic that performed the work was contacted and stated he found no wrinkles that would justify installation of the Cessna drain kit described in service letter SE84-9. Examination of the bladder tanks revealed wrinkles/folds in the vicinity of both outlets feeding fuel to the eng.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6388A
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33188
- Airframe hours
- 3,437
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James H. Garner
- Registered owner
- Paul L. Myers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1984 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 2G4 · Oakland, MD
- Destination
- GAI · Gaithersburg, MD
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 678 total · 39 in this make and model · 608 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRB, 33 nm away