# NTSB FTW96LA031: Cessna 182TR, N7590R, Boulder, CO, October 30, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 29, 1995, 21:00 local (Oct 30, 1995, 04:00 UTC) - Place: Boulder, CO - Coordinates: 40.019741, -105.249481 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0197&lon=-105.2495&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 14, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19698 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19698/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA031 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT DURING PREFLIGHT, AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - flare/touchdown - object - pole ## Analysis WHILE ON A LOCAL FLIGHT, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN UNOCCUPIED PARKING LOT. DURING LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A LIGHT POLE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO FUEL TO BE ABOARD, AND INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE THE AIRCRAFT FUELED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. ## Factual narrative On October 29, 1995, at 2100 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182TR, N7590R, made a forced landing in a parking lot near Boulder, Colorado. The private pilot received serious injuries and the three passengers were not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Boulder Municipal Airport (1V5) about 2000. The aircraft sustained a total loss of power and the pilot landed the aircraft in a parking lot. The aircraft struck a light pole prior to touch down. The lot was unoccupied at the time of the accident. An on scene investigation was conducted by an FAA airworthiness inspector. Examination of the aircraft provided no evidence of structure or system failure or malfunction and no evidence of fuel was found at the accident site. In addition, the people who recovered the aircraft said they found no evidence of fuel. In an interview with the FAA, the pilot stated that the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The operator said that the aircraft had returned from a cross country flight and had not been fueled prior to being rented to the pilot of the accident flight. The amount of fuel aboard at the time this flight departed could not be determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7590R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7590R-2012-09-06), registration cancelled 2012-09-06, S/N R18200653, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182TR - Registry model: [Cessna TR182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tr182) (registry code 2072735) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18200653 - Airframe hours: 2773 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-L3C5D 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Dakota Ridge Aviation - Registered owner: Helvetik Flyers, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 14, 1995, 46 hours before - Departed: 1V5 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 665 total, 23 in this make and model, 543 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 90° at 5 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 16,000 ft broken - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 5 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 19951029034999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951029034999A), Oct 29, 1995: Cessna TR182, Boulder, CO, Substantial damage. Lost power. Landed in parking lot. Hit light pole. Fuel tanks empty. 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.