# NTSB LAX97LA168: Cessna T182, N5482N, Hemet, CA, April 26, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 26, 1997, 14:33 local (21:33 UTC) - Place: Hemet, CA - Location: 33.7341° N, 116.9968° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hemet, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7341&lon=-116.9968&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 3 serious - Status: Completed, report April 10, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29779 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29779/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA168 ## Probable cause the pilot's decision not to dip check the aircraft fuel tanks after he had noted a disagreement between the cockpit fuel gages and what he had observed visually in the fuel tanks, and his failure to accomplish in-flight endurance calculations based on aircraft handbook performance data, which led to the engine power loss due to fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis The engine lost power during cruise flight, and the airplane was destroyed during the subsequent forced landing. During the investigation of the airframe and engine, no fuel was found in either aircraft wing tank, the fuel feed line to the engine, or the fuel filter bowl. No other preevent malfunctions or abnormalities were discovered in either the airframe or the engine. During his preflight inspection, the pilot stated that the cockpit fuel gauges did not agree with the amount of fuel he saw when he visually checked the fuel tanks for quantity. However, he did not dip check the tanks to verify the amount of fuel onboard. Available aircraft and fueling records indicated that at the time of the accident the aircraft had been flown for 5.3 hours since last refueled, with four takeoffs and landings accomplished. The pilot's handbook for the aircraft states a maximum endurance of 5.5 hours with one takeoff and landing included. ## Factual narrative On April 26, 1997, at 1433 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T182, N5482N, was destroyed during a forced landing approximately 4 statute miles east of Hemet, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during cruise. The private pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The flight originated at Chiriaco Summit, California, on the day of the accident at 1330 for a planned flight to French Valley, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The pilot stated in his accident report that he had visually checked the aircraft fuel status prior to departure from French Valley airport and that he observed both wing tanks to be full, however, the left cockpit fuel gage indicated "empty" and the right gage indicated "1/4". During the postaccident inspection of the airframe and engine, both the left and right fuel caps were observed to be in place and properly closed. The fuel tank selector was in the "both" position and could be moved freely. There was no evidence to indicate an engine, flight control, or airframe malfunction. However, there was no evidence of any fuel in either fuel tank, fuel lines, or engine fuel strainer bowl. Also, there were no stained areas around the wing fuel caps to indicate that fuel had drained from the tanks after the forced landing occurred. The FAA inspector stated in the enclosed report that, according to the operator's fueling records, the aircraft, at the time of the accident, had been flown for 5.3 hours since the last refueling. Aircraft records indicated that four takeoffs and landings had been accomplished during that period. The aircraft pilot's handbook states that, when fully serviced, there is a total of 88 gallons of useable fuel onboard, and that the engine burns approximately 16 gallons per hour at normal cruise power settings. This would equate to a 5.5 hour maximum endurance if all time flown was at cruising altitude with one takeoff and landing included. During the inspection, both left and right fuel gages were connected to the aircraft's battery and the tank floats were cycled from their "empty" to "full" positions. With the floats in the full (up) position, both cockpit fuel gages indicated "full." When the floats were placed in the empty (down) position, both cockpit gages indicated "empty," and there was a smooth and linear transition of the fuel gages from full to empty as the tank floats were cycled from the full to the empty position. The float levers moved smoothly throughout their motion envelope and there was no apparent hysteresis in the gage indications associated with the direction of motion of the tank floats. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5482N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5482N-1998-05-13), registration cancelled 1998-05-13, S/N 18267751 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T182 - Registry model: [Cessna T182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t182) (registry code 2072736) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18267751 - Airframe hours: 1752 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-L3-CSD 245 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aero Am Flight Services - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 11, 1997, 11 hours before - Departed: L77, CHIRIACO SUMMIT, CA - Destination: F70, FRENCH VALLEY, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 15 in this make and model, 75 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 8 knots, gusting 12 - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: RAL, 30 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970426006619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970426006619A), Apr 26, 1997: Cessna T182, Hemet, CA, Destroyed. Lost power enroute. Had exhausted fuel. Believed fuel gages in error on empty. Failed note hours at max fuel range. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.