# NTSB DEN04LA077: Cessna 182E, N2852Y, Santa Teresa, NM, May 22, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 2004, 09:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Santa Teresa, NM - Coordinates: 31.839546, -106.68029 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8395&lon=-106.6803&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59300 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59300/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA077 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and decision-making, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors to the accident were the fuel exhaustion and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system - exhaustion (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The pilot told an FAA inspector that he had completed an air drop of skydivers at 14,000 feet and was returning to land. During the descent, the engine quit. The pilot initially thought it was due to carburetor ice, but then realized that he ran "out of fuel." The pilot was forced to land the airplane short of the runway. The airplane impacted terrain collapsing the nose landing gear and buckling the firewall. The pilot did not provide a Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) for this accident. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 2004, at 0950 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182E, N2852Y, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing at Dona Ana County at Santa Teresa Airport (5T6), Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated at approximately 0915. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot stated that he completed an air drop of skydivers at 14,000 feet and was returning to land. During the descent, the engine quit. The pilot initially thought it was due to carburetor ice, but then realized that he had run "out of fuel." The pilot was forced to land the airplane short of the runway. The airplane impacted terrain collapsing the nose landing gear and buckling the firewall. The pilot did not report this accident until May 25, 2004, and did not provide a Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) for this accident. The condition of the airplane and the continuity if its systems, prior to the accident, could not be confirmed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2852Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2852Y), registered now, S/N 18253852, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182E - Registry model: [Cessna 182E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182e) (registry code 2072712) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18253852 - Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert H. Kern - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 5T6, Santa Teresa, CA - Destination: 5T6, Santa Teresa, CA - Airport: 5T6, Dona Ana County at Santa Teres ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 15,300 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 19 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KELP, 18 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 20040522009379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040522009379A), May 22, 2004: Cessna 182E, Santa Teresa, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 22, 2004 at 0950 MDT, a Cessna 182, N2852Y, registered to robert h. kern, landed short of runway 28, dona ana county airport, Santa Teresa, new… 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.