- Date
- June 10, 2019, 12:57 local (19:57 UTC)
- Place
- Ontario, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3242DCessna 180
- Defining event
- Approach: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190610006569A
- Case key
- 99618
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 improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Findings · 3
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, during the approach to the destination airport, the engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine to no avail, and the airplane impacted a perimeter fence short of the runway. The pilot added that postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it had run out of fuel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the approach to the destination airport, the engine lost power. Despite his attempt, he could not restart the engine and the airplane impacted a perimeter fence short of the runway. The pilot stated that the examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that he ran out of gas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3242D
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32040
- Built
- 1955
- Engine
- Continental O-470 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- ONO · Ontario, OR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- ONO · Ontario Muni, runway 33, 5,006 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 88
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KONO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 317 KB 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.
Other investigations on N3242D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.