- Date
- March 19, 1982, 16:00 local (Mar 20, 1982, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Folsom, CA
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3910DCessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 19, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820319004669A
- Case key
- 70696
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The pilot visually checked the fuel before takeoff and was aware that the tanks were not full. He reported that he would only use 80/87 octane fuel because the engine was not equipped with valves that would accept 100 octane fuel. During the flight, he encountered clouds and diverted from his original route. The left fuel tank went dry about 20 miles south of phoenix field, fair oaks, CA. He switched to the right tank and proceeded toward phoenix field. The pilot said that he checked the right fuel tank gauge after switching tanks and it showed a little less than half full. However, while the pilot was diverting, the engine lost power and would not restart. The aircraft was substantially damaged during a landing on rough, hilly terrain in an area of trees and brush. The elevation of the crash site was approximately 4500 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3910D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18234610
- Airframe hours
- 4,720
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Larry Bechtold
- Registered owner
- Larry Bechtold
- Departed
- Apple Valley, CA
- Destination
- CCR · Concord, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 128 total · 36 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.