- Date
- September 8, 1996, 16:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place
- Eden Prairie, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5401BCessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 23, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960908036049A
- Case key
- 10385
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's misjudging the fuel supply and fuel exhaustion. A related factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
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
While descending to land, the airplane suffered a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to glide to the runway, but was unable. A forced landing was made in unsuitable terrain short of the intended runway. An examination of the airplane subsequent to the accident revealed only unusable fuel remaining in the tanks.
Factual narrative
On September 8, 1996, at 1655 central daylight time a Cessna 182, N5401B, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing. The pilot reported a loss of engine power and attempted to reach the runway, however landed short of the runway. The pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file for the local flight which departed at 1530.
An examination of the airplane after the accident revealed only unusable fuel in the tanks. The aircraft flight manual for the accident airplane indicates usable fuel as 27.5 gallons, additional usable fuel of 1.5 gallons (for level flight only), with 1.0 gallon unusable in each of the wing tanks. When the airplane was leveled the engine was started and no anomalies were indicated.
The pilot stated that his most recent biennial flight review was on October 17, 1995; however, his personal log book indicated it was on June 17, 1994. After the accident he obtained a biennial flight review on September 29, 1996.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5401B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33401
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ernest B. Joyner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 31, 1996 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- FCM
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
- 83
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,032 total · 6,732 in this make and model · 7,032 as pilot in command · 189 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 18 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KFC
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 1996, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.