# NTSB CEN18LA163: Cessna 182F, N3291U, Luling, TX, May 8, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 8, 2018, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Luling, TX - Coordinates: 29.723611, -97.659164 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7236&lon=-97.6592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 97215 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA163 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97215/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97215 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA163 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to secure the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane, which resulted in a fuel leak on takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 181 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Terrain: sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 270 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft servicing event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/020); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/020/sequence.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/020/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Hazardous material leak/spill](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/450); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/450/sequence.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/450/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Landing: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 182F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2072714), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis Before taking off for the skydiving flight with four passengers, the commercial pilot refueled the airplane. Shortly after the airplane rotated, the passengers told the pilot that fuel was leaking from the left wing. The pilot believed that the leak was an immediate fire risk, so he decided to perform an off-airport landing. The pilot abruptly lowered the airplane’s nose and landed in a field. The airplane impacted terrain in a left-wing-low attitude and then hit a berm. The engine and right main landing gear separated during the impact sequence, and the left and right wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the left-wing fuel tank cap was not secured and was dangling by the chain. During examination, no issues or anomalies with the left-wing fuel cap or fuel tank filler inlet were found, and the fuel cap was able to be fully secured. An examination of the airframe, engine, and remaining systems revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Given the evidence, it is likely that the pilot did not secure the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane. The airport was less than 1 mile away when the passengers told the pilot about the leak. It is possible that the pilot could have returned to the airport and landed the airplane at the airport without further incident. ## Factual narrative On May 8, 2018, about 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 182F airplane, N3291U, impacted a field 0.3 miles southeast of the airport shortly after takeoff from The Carter Memorial Airport (T91), Luling, Texas. The commercial pilot and 2 passengers sustained minor injuries, and 2 passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The skydiving flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed for the flight. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.According to statements from the pilot and the passengers, shortly after the airplane rotated, the passengers noticed that fuel was leaking from the left wing. The passengers brought it to the attention of the pilot. The pilot perceived the leak as an immediate fire risk and felt it was necessary to perform an off-airport landing. The pilot abruptly lowered the nose of the airplane and landed in a field. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident, during the forced landing to the field the airplane hit the ground in a left-wing low attitude and then hit a berm. The airplane came to rest in a field to the southeast of the departure end of runway 17. The engine and the right main landing gear separated during the impact sequence. Both the left and right wings were substantially damaged. The left-wing fuel tank cap was dangling by the chain and was not secured. There were no issues or anomalies with the left fuel cap or left-wing fuel tank filler inlet and the left fuel cap was able to be securely installed at the time of the examination. An examination of the airframe, engine, and remaining systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot had fueled the airplane before the accident flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3291U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3291U-2020-07-10), registration cancelled 2020-07-10, S/N 18254691, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182F (F) - Registry model: [Cessna 182F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182f) (registry code 2072714) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18254691 - Year built: 1963 - Airframe hours: 5622 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470-D reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Skydiving, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 18, 2017 - Departed: T91, Luling, TX - Destination: T91, Luling, TX - Airport: T91, The Carter Memorial Airport - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; seat: left; flight hours: 325 total, 34 in this make and model, 259 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KHYI, 14 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 20180508004989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180508004989A), May 8, 2018: Cessna 182F, Luling, TX, Destroyed. On may 08, 2018 at approximately 1400 hours, the pilot took off with four parachute jumpers from the carter memorial airport (T91) in Luling, TX. At 200 feet… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 29, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97215. 333 KB in all. - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 1, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469866&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Accident Report Photographs (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 250 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469868&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Report%20Photographs-Master.PDF 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.