- Date
- April 11, 1986, 16:50 local (Apr 12, 1986, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Death Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5925BCessna 182A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860411011539A
- Case key
- 25119
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 acft collided with terrain after a loss of pwr 50 yards short of the rwy. The plt stated he used various fuel selector positions while en route. Upon entry into the traffic pattern on a right downwind, the left tank was selected. On final apch the plt realized he was too high and entered a left wing low slip. When he reached his desired alt he attempted to arrest the sink rate by applying pwr. When the throttle was applied, the eng did not respond and the acft landed short and nosed over. The acft was operating using automotive fuel in accordance with supplemental type certificate (STC) number SA694GL. The information contained in the STC cautions the plt stating, 'do not open a carburetor throttle abruptly after idling in flight. To do so may cause the engine to stop.' The acft operating manual states that the fuel selector should be positioned on both tanks for takeoffs and landings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5925B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33925
- Airframe hours
- 5,359
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John M. Donavan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 9, 1986 · 145 hours before
- Departed
- Q94 · Rio Linda, CA
- Destination
- LO6 · Death Valley, CA
- Airport
- L06 · Death Valley, runway 15, 3,040 × 70 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 748 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DRA, 42 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.