# NTSB WPR20CA299: Cessna 182, N8885X, Coeur d'Alene, ID, September 7, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 6, 2020, 20:56 local (Sep 7, 2020, 03:56 UTC) - Place: Coeur d'Alene, ID - Coordinates: 47.786109, -116.719444 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.7861&lon=-116.7194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Emergency descent: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 101932 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA299 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101932/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101932 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA299 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a collision with trees and terrain. ## 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 182D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072710), [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 · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Emergency descent: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during a cross-country flight at dusk, the airplane encountered greater head winds than planned. The pilot made several engine power and mixture adjustments to compensate for the increased wind velocity and to maintain altitude. About 15 miles prior to reaching the destination airport, the engine lost power. He attempted to troubleshoot the loss of engine power to no avail and initiated a forced landing. The airplane collided with trees and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, the fuselage and empennage. The pilot believed that his fuel planning for the accident flight was insufficient, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8885X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8885X-2021-04-27), registration cancelled 2021-04-27, S/N 18253285, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182 (D) - 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: 18253285 - Year built: 1961 - Airframe hours: 3895.3 - Engines: Continental O-470-R 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 4, 2020 - Departed: LVM, Livingston, MT - Destination: COE, Coeur d'Alene, ID - Airport: COE, Coeur D'Alene - Pappy Boyingto - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 12, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 217.5 total, 180 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days, 9.1 in the last 30 days, 5.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 230° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KCOE, 4 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 20200906016309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200906016309A), Sep 6, 2020: Cessna 182D, Hayden, ID, Substantial damage. The pilot departed livingston, mt (lvm) on a planned three hour flight to coeur d'alene, ID (coe). About 5-7 miles from coe the engine quit. The pilot intended… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101932. 3.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11379838&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12581715&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR20CA299%20Record%20of%20Conversation_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11357291&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.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.