# NTSB WPR15LA185: Cessna 182A, N5143D, Moab, UT, June 14, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2015, 19:00 local (Jun 14, 2015, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Moab, UT - Coordinates: 38.755001, -109.754722 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7550&lon=-109.7547&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 16, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91361 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15LA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91361/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91361 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA185 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning and inflight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [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) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); 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) - [Emergency descent: 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 commercial pilot reported that he maneuvered back toward the airport to land after dropping skydivers. During the approach for landing, about 1,000 ft above the airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and subsequently initiated a forced landing to the desert floor. The airplane departed with about 14 gallons of fuel on board, and the flight was about 30 to 35 minutes in duration. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing fuel tank contained about 5 gallons of fuel, and the left wing fuel tank contained about 3 gallons. According to the airplane's operating limitations, 10 gallons of fuel is unusable in all flight attitudes (5 gallons per tank). Given a fuel consumption rate of about 12 gallons per hour and the fuel found in the wing tanks after the accident, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2015, about 1900 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182A airplane, N5143D, experienced a loss of engine power while on final approach to the Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), Moab, Utah. The pilot subsequently made an off airport forced landing. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained structural damage to the tail section of the airplane. The airplane was operated by Skydive Canyonlands under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a skydiving operation. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and a company flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that there was a total of 14 gallons of fuel on board when he took the airplane and that no other fuel was added. The flight departed from runway 21, and he made several left turns to align the airplane with the intended drop zone. Once the jumpers exited the airplane, he flew on a northwestern heading for a few miles before he initiated a left turn for a return to the airport. About 3 miles from the airport, the engine lost power. The pilot tried unsuccessfully to restart the engine before initiating a forced landing on rough desert terrain. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel level in the right-side fuel tank was about 5 gallons, and the left-side fuel tank had about 3 gallons. According to the airplane's operating limitations, there is 10 gallons of unusable fuel, of which 7 gallons may be available, but only in level flight operations The company reported that this airplane burns about 12 gallons of fuel per hour; the accident flight was estimated to be 30-35 minutes. Neither the pilot nor the operator completed the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5143D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5143D), registered now, S/N 51243 (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: 51243 - Year built: 1958 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Skydiving, Part 91 - Operator: Skydive Canyonlands, doing business as Skydive Canyonlands - Registered owner: Gray Robert Paul - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CNY, Moab, UT - Destination: CNY, Moab, UT - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: CNY, Canyonlands Field - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 50° at 19 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: CNY ## 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 20150613008999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150613008999A), Jun 13, 2015: Cessna 182A, Moab, UT, Substantial damage. This was the last flight of the day for the skydiving operation. The PIC during the accident just took over from the previous pilot. At 1753 16 gallons of fuel… ## Other investigations on N5143D (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 ERA12CA427](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA427), Jun 28, 2012: Cessna 182A (N5143D), Sussex, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing and perform a go-around, which resulted in a runway overrun. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91361. 828 KB in all. - Record of Conversation (Pilot) (item 1, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462448&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - Excerpt POH Fuel Information (item 2, .PDF, 675 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462449&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20POH%20Fuel%20Information-Master.PDF - Summary of Findings (FAA SLC FSDO) (item 3, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462450&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings%20(FAA%20SLC%20FSDO)-Master.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. --- 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.