# NTSB SEA08LA139: Cessna 182D, N8855X, Chehalis, WA, May 25, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 24, 2008, 19:35 local (May 25, 2008, 02:35 UTC) - Place: Chehalis, WA - Coordinates: 46.666667, -122.966667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6667&lon=-122.9667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 68090 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA08LA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68090/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA139 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion caused by a missing fuel tank cap that allowed the fuel to be siphoned out. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection at the last airport. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wall/barricade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022027/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he landed at an airport along his route of flight to refuel. The airport was out of fuel and the pilot decided to continue his flight without refueling. While en route, the engine lost power and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with the foundation of an old structure. Post-accident inspection of the airplane found that the left wing fuel cap was missing. Blue colored streaking was observed on the top of the left wing, flap and side of the fuselage. Approximately a half gallon of fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank was empty. The fuel cap was later found near the fueling station at the airport where the pilot had attempted to refuel the airplane. ## Factual narrative On May 24, 2008, about 1935 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182D, N8855X, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted an abandoned structure following a loss of engine power near Chehalis, Washington. The private pilot and two of the three passengers were not injured. The third passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that was operated under the provision of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight departed from Lynden, Washington, about 1830. The pilot reported that he attempted to refuel at Lynden, but was unable due to the lack of fuel at the airport. The pilot decided to continue his flight home to Vancouver, Washington, despite not being able to refuel the airplane. The pilot stated that while over Olympia, Washington, the engine "missed" and he adjusted the mixture to full rich and the engine ran fine. The pilot continued the flight and reported that the engine lost all power near Chehalis. The pilot stated that the left fuel tank was showing empty and he switched to the right fuel tank which was showing 3/8 to 1/2 full. The engine regained power for a short time then lost all power again. The pilot turned toward the Chehalis Airport for an emergency landing. The airplane was high and he made a 360 degree turn to reduce altitude. The pilot stated that he was part way through the turn and realized that he was losing too much altitude and would not be able to make a landing on the runway. The pilot selected an open field short of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with the foundation of an old structure. Post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the left wing fuel cap was missing. Blue colored streaking was observed on the top of the left wing, flap and side of the fuselage. Approximately a half gallon of fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank was empty. The Lynden Police Department was contacted to assist in inspecting the area around the fueling station at the Lynden Municipal Airport. An officer reported that a four inch aluminum gasoline cap was found on the tarmac about 61 feet north of the fuel pump. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8855X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8855X-2017-06-30), registration cancelled 2017-06-30, S/N 18253255, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182D - Registry model: [Cessna 182D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182d) (registry code 2072710) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18253255 - Airframe hours: 4297 - Engines: Continental O-470-S7B 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: John E. Sargent - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2008, 20 hours before - Departed: 38W, Lynden, WA - Destination: CLS, Chehalis, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review August 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 1,654 total, 1,000 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: CLS, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080524837129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080524837129A), May 24, 2008: Cessna 182D, Chehalis, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted], pilot of N8855X, on 05/24/2008 made off airport landing after a rough running engine over olympia airport at 7500 feet and… 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.