# NTSB WPR12LA286: Cessna 182, N55DN, Watsonville, CA, June 24, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 24, 2012, 12:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Watsonville, CA
- Coordinates: 36.935554, -121.789443
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9356&lon=-121.7894&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: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 84166
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA286
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84166/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84166
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA286

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during approach for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Findings

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

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/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: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that he departed the airport for the 15-minute skydiving flight with about 20 gallons of fuel onboard. After completing a jump run, he was returning to the airport and maneuvered the airplane on final approach. When the airplane was about 3 miles from the runway and about 1,200 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot configured the airplane for the best glide speed, and, shortly thereafter, the engine quit producing any power. The airplane subsequently collided with trees in an orchard about 600 yards from the approach end of the runway. At the accident site, there was no fuel in the right wing; the remaining fuel from the left wing totaled about 5 gallons. Neither of the tanks were breached; however, the airplane was inverted and some fuel was slowly dripping out the vent, thus it was not possible to determine the exact quantity of fuel in the tanks at the time of the accident. The fuel selector was in the “BOTH ON” position and the unusable fuel for each 30-gallon tank was 2.5 gallons; therefore, the left wing tank had usable fuel at the time of the accident. A postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 24, 2012, about 1240 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182, N55DN, collided into an orchard following a total loss of engine power while on approach to the Watsonville Municipal Airport, Watsonville, California. Skydive Surfcity was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The local skydiving flight departed from Watsonville about 1200. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that he completed a normal pre flight inspection of the airplane and departed the airport with about 20 gallons of fuel onboard. After completing a jump run, he was returning back to the airport and maneuvered the airplane on final approach for runway 20. When the airplane was about 3 miles from the runway and about 1,200 feet above ground level (agl), the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot configured the airplane for the best glide speed, and shortly thereafter, the engine quit producing any power. The airplane collided with trees in an orchard about 600 yards from the approach end of the runway. The wreckage was sold following recovery and the engine underwent a teardown. The mechanic that performed the teardown inspection stated that there was no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure aside from the engine case being damaged from the accident. The gear train, pistons, cylinders, camshaft and crankshaft all appeared normal. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Cessna 182 single-engine airplane, serial number 33257, was manufactured in 1956. The airplane was equipped with the a Texas Skyways O-520-F/TS engine, serial number 686835, which was installed in May 2005. A review of the airplane maintenance logbooks revealed that at the time of the last annual inspection the engine had accumulated 1,588 hours since major overhaul. The last annual inspection was dated as having been completed June 24, 2012, on the day of the accident. The mechanic that performed the annual inspection of the airplane was the first person on-scene after the accident. He stated that there was no fuel in the right wing and, by request of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, he drained the remaining fuel from the left wing, which totaled about 5 gallons. He noted that neither of the tanks were breached, although the airplane was inverted and some fuel was slowly dripping out the vent. The fuel selector was in the “BOTH ON” position. Fuel System The airplane’s fuel system was designed to supply the engine via two bladder-type fuel tanks located in both the left and right wing. Each tank holds 30 gallons, of which 2.5 gallons was unusable in level flight conditions. A fuel vent was located in the right wing and a vent line interconnected the two tanks. From the tanks fuel was gravity fed to the fuel selector valve, which contained anoption of the following selections “BOTH OFF,” “LEFT TANK,” “RIGHT TANK,” and “BOTH ON.” From the selector, fuel would flow to the strainer and continue to the engine’s carburetor. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The FAA issued a pamphlet tilted “Flying for Skydive Operations,” (P-8740-62), where it stated that one of the three common skydiving operation accidents is fuel exhaustion/starvation accidents because the pilots will commonly fly with “reduced fuel to accommodate heavier payloads while maintain weight and balance limits.”

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55DN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55DN-2012-08-09), registration cancelled 2012-08-09, S/N 33257, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182
- Registry model: [Cessna 182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182) (registry code 2072702) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 33257
- Airframe hours: 6132
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-520 Series 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Skydiving, Part 91
- Operator: Skydive Surfcity
- Registered owner: Volker Haag
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 24, 2012, 1 hours before
- Departed: WVI, Watsonville, CA
- Destination: WVI, Watsonville, CA
- Airport: WVI, Watsonville Municipal Airport, runway 20, 4,501 × 149 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 3,250 total, 998 in this make and model, 3,173 as pilot in command, 290 in the last 90 days, 123 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: WVI

## 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 20120624012119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120624012119A), Jun 24, 2012: Cessna 182, Watsonville, CA, Substantial damage. On June 24, 2012 at 1303 pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182, N55DN sustained substantial damage during an emergency off-airport landing approximately one half…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84166. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395425&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation: Teardown Mechanic (item 2, .PDF, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395426&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Teardown%20Mechanic-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation: Airplane's Mechanic (item 3, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Airplane%27s%20Mechanic-Redacted.PDF
- Aircraft Logbook Excerpts (item 4, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395428&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Logbook%20Excerpts-Redacted.PDF

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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