- Date
- December 22, 1992, 19:22 local (Dec 23, 1992, 03:22 UTC)
- Place
- Fullerton, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N61798Cessna 180K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921222051109A
- Case key
- 27889
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 airplane's owners (including the pilot) poor maintenance and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. Contributing to this accident was the deteriorated overwing fuel caps seals and the tailwind.
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 drained out multiple fuel tester tubes of water before departing on the accident flight. Shortly after lift off the engine experienced an intermittent loss of power. The pilot returned to the departure airport and landed downwind, beyond midfield. The airplane overran the runway environment and collided with the airport perimeter fence. Examination of the wreckage revealed considerable water remained in the fuel tanks and the overwing fuel cap seals were deteriorated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61798
- Reported as
- Cessna 180K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18053009
- Airframe hours
- 3,698
- Engine
- Continental O-470-K, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Woodruff, Harold S. Et Al
- Registered owner
- Woodruff, Harold S. Et Al
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 16, 1992 · 45 hours before
- Destination
- L35 · Big Bear, CA
- Airport
- FUL · Fullerton, runway 24, 3,121 × 75 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,470 total · 205 in this make and model · 1,372 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FUL, 1 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.