# NTSB NYC08CA295: Cessna 182A, N169DP, Danielson, CT, August 27, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 27, 2008, 18:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place: Danielson, CT
- Coordinates: 41.819721, -71.900833 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8197&lon=-71.9008&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 68811
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA295
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68811/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA295

## Probable cause

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s inadequate fuel consumption calculations.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot flew nine skydiving flights on the day of the accident in the Cessna 182A. Each flight was approximately 30 minutes in duration. The airplane was refueled after approximately every other flight with about 12 gallons of fuel. Prior to takeoff for the tenth and final flight of the day, the pilot thought he had about 16 gallons of fuel in the airplane; however, he did not visually confirm how much fuel was in the tanks and could not remember what the fuel gauges indicated. The pilot departed and dropped one skydiver at an altitude of 4,000 feet and two more skydivers at 10,000 feet. Upon returning to the airport, he flew an extended downwind leg to maintain separation with another landing airplane. While turning onto final approach, the pilot attempted to increase engine power, but the engine did not respond. He continued toward the runway, and during the descent the airplane struck trees, impacted the ground, and flipped over, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage. The airplane’s fuel system held 3 gallons of unusable fuel. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed 4 gallons of fuel were drained from the left fuel tank and about 1 gallon was drained from the right fuel tank. The fuel selector was set on both and preimpact mechanical anomalies were identified. The pilot thought the airplane burned about 12 gallons of fuel per hour, based on his 100 hours of experience in the accident airplane. According to the airplane pilot operating handbook (POH), the airplane burned 12 to 14 gallons per hour, depending on varying performance conditions.

## Factual narrative

The pilot flew nine skydiving flights on the day of the accident in the Cessna 182A. Each flight was approximately 30 minutes in duration. The airplane was refueled after approximately every other flight with about 12 gallons of fuel. Prior to takeoff for the tenth and final flight of the day, the pilot thought he had about 16 gallons of fuel in the airplane; however, he did not visually confirm how much fuel was in the tanks and could not remember what the fuel gauges indicated. The pilot departed and dropped one skydiver at an altitude of 4,000 feet and two more skydivers at 10,000 feet. Upon returning to the airport, he flew an extended downwind leg to maintain separation with another landing airplane. While turning onto final approach, the pilot attempted to increase engine power, but the engine did not respond. He continued toward the runway, and during the descent the airplane struck trees, impacted the ground, and flipped over, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage. The airplane’s fuel system held 3 gallons of unusable fuel. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed 4 gallons of fuel were drained from the left fuel tank and about 1 gallon was drained from the right fuel tank. The fuel selector was set on both and preimpact mechanical anomalies were identified. The pilot thought the airplane burned about 12 gallons of fuel per hour, based on his 100 hours of experience in the accident airplane. According to the airplane pilot operating handbook (POH), the airplane burned 12 to 14 gallons per hour, depending on varying performance conditions.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N169DP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N169DP), registered now, S/N 34979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A
- Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34979
- Airframe hours: 8755
- Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Skydiving, Part 91
- Operator: Way-Up Skydive LLC
- Registered owner: Adrenaline Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 1, 2008, 20 hours before
- Departed: 5B3, Danielson, CT
- Destination: 5B3, Danielson, CT
- Airport: 5B3, Danielson Airport, runway 31, 2,700 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 1,371 total, 862 in this make and model, 1,247 as pilot in command, 268 in the last 90 days, 110 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: IJD, 13 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 20080827849289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080827849289A), Aug 27, 2008: Cessna 182A, Danielson, CT, Substantial damage. (-23) On 8/27/2008, @2258 z, a single Cessna, model number CE-182A, registration number N169DP, crashed inverted on level terrain, approximately 1000 yards…

## Other investigations on N169DP (1)

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.

- [NTSB ATL87LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL87LA217), Jul 18, 1987: Cessna 182A (N169DP), Warm Springs, GA, substantial damage

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.

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