- Date
- July 22, 2016, 10:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hogansville, GA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9072XCessna 182
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160722018179A
- Case key
- 93675
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 failure to replace the left fuel cap following the preflight inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a loss of engine power, an emergency landing, and impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that prior to the flight the fuel tanks were "topped off with fuel" and after being distracted, a second walk around the airplane was not properly conducted. The pilot further reported that after about an hour of flight the engine lost power and he was forced to maneuver for an emergency landing. During the emergency landing, the pilot reported that his initial approach was to an interstate, but due to thick traffic he made a turn towards a landfill and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that after the impact the passenger received a telephone call from the departure airport fuel service attendant stating that the airplane's left fuel cap was on the airport ramp. During a postaccident examination by the pilot, it was revealed that the left fuel cap was missing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to the flight the fuel tanks were "topped off with fuel" and after being distracted, a second walk around the airplane was not properly conducted. The pilot further reported that after about an hour of flight the engine lost power and he was forced to maneuver for an emergency landing. During the emergency landing, the pilot reported that his initial approach was to an interstate, but due to thick traffic he made a turn towards a landfill and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that after the impact the passenger received a telephone call from the departure airport fuel service attendant stating that the airplane's left fuel cap was on the airport ramp. During a postaccident examination by the pilot, it was revealed that the left fuel cap was missing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9072X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18253472
- Built
- 1961
- Airframe hours
- 1,290
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 21, 2016
- Departed
- 70J · Cairo, GA
- Destination
- FGU · Collegedale, TN
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 19, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 42 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 580 total · 350 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KCCO, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.