- Date
- November 10, 1990, 09:18 local (17:18 UTC)
- Place
- Pacoima, CA
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N759EDCessna 182Q
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901110049689A
- Case key
- 27055
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
An engine failure for undetermined reasons.
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 reported an engine failure just after takeoff. Witnesses reported that the propeller was stopped as the airplane descended toward a city street. It impacted on the roof of a commercial manufacturing building, then continued to ground impact. The engine was examined and there was no evidence of preimpact malfunction. A small quantity of fuel was found in the primer line which was similar in color and smell to automotive fuel. Several individuals on the airport stated that the pilot used automotive fuel in the airplane, and that he had refueled from five gallon gas cans he brought to the airport. The airplane did not have a supplemental type certificate permitting the use of automotive gasoline.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N759ED
- Reported as
- Cessna 182Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18265927
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harold L. Wessel
- Destination
- MMH · Mammoth, CA
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Flight hours
- 711 total · 500 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- BUR, 3 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.