# NTSB WPR21LA184: Cessna 182K, N2548R, Las Vegas, NV, March 18, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 18, 2021, 16:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Las Vegas, NV - Coordinates: 36.216047, -115.20444 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2160&lon=-115.2044&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 103043 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA184 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103043/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103043 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA184 ## Probable cause 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 182K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072724), [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. - [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072724), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot verified that the airplane contained 26 gallons of fuel, divided evenly between the two wing tanks, and did not observe any evidence of a fuel leak prior to departing on the 30-minute flight. During the flight, he observed the fuel quantity decrease until the indicators showed less than 3.25 gallons per side when he was about 2 nautical miles from his destination. During the landing approach, the engine lost all power, and the pilot completed a forced landing on a dirt area about 500 ft short of the runway, during which the fuselage sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preaccident anomalies and no breaches or obstructions to the fuel system. The pilot stated that, after he landed, he observed a slow leak from the low sump drain downstream of the fuel selector. This may have contributed to some fuel loss in flight; however, the estimated leak rate suggests that the leak is not likely to have drained the fuel tanks while inflight. It is also unclear when the leak began and what the initial leak rate was, as the pilot reported that he did not observe any fuel leaks during his two walkaround inspections before takeoff. Airport personnel who recovered the airplane after the accident reported that the airplane leaked about 1 quart of fuel before its removal from the accident site, and less than 1 gallon following its recovery. When visually examined the evening of the accident, both of the wing fuel tanks were dry. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion; however, whether the engine’s fuel consumption was increased, or the airplane was leaking fuel during the accident flight could not be determined due to a lack of available evidence. ## Factual narrative On March 18, 2021, about 1615 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182K airplane, N2548R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, before departure, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane for the approximate 30-nautical mile (nm) flight. He stated that each of the fuel tanks contained13 gallons tanks (totaling 26 gallons) referencing both a dipstick and the fuel quantity indicators. He did not notice any evidence of a fuel leak during his walkaround inspection of the airplane. After engine start, the pilot completed an engine run-up, but then shut down the engine to retrieve an item from his car. He then performed another preflight inspection, during which he did not observe any fuel leaks before he restarted the engine and departed the airport with the fuel selector in the BOTH position. At the time, the fuel quantity indicator showed that his fuel level was just below half full in each fuel tank. Halfway into the flight, the pilot observed the fuel gauges fluctuating between 1/4 and 3/8 full. The pilot reported that he was not concerned at the time, as he was close to his destination; however, about 2 nm from the destination, the fuel levels had dropped to below 1/4 in both fuel tanks. While turning to the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost total power. The pilot notified the tower controller of the power loss, and during the subsequent forced landing, the airplane landed hard in dirt about 500 ft short of runway 12R and came to rest upright. He did not smell a fuel odor in the cockpit during the accident flight. The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. Cell phone video captured by the pilot a few minutes after the accident showed a slow fuel leak coming from the fuel sump downstream of the fuel selector. A postaccident engine run and airframe examination did not reveal any preaccident mechanical anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. An examination of the fuel system did not reveal any breaches in the fuel lines, fuel tanks, valves, or sumps. Further, the fuel tank caps were in good condition. The fuel sump functioned normally when tested, as did the fuel selector valve, which was unobstructed and rotated between the RIGHT, LEFT, and OFF positions normally. There was no evidence of fuel staining on the bottom of the fuselage. Airport personnel responded immediately to the location of the accident airplane after being notified by air traffic control. Once arrived they waited for about 10-15 minutes for authorization to tow the airplane from the airport manager who cleared them to move the airplane at 1630. The airport personnel took about one additional hour to tow the airplane to a nearby maintenance facility, who placed a trough underneath the leaking fuel sump. According to the maintenancefacility, less than one gallon of fuel leaked from the fuel sump and a subsequent inspection of the fuel tanks that evening revealed that they were completely dry. According to airport personnel, less than 1 quart of residual fuel had spilled at the accident site following the forced landing. The pilot stated that he had accumulated all of his flight experience in the accident airplane, which he purchased two years before the accident. He used a fuel consumption of 8 gallons per hour to perform his fuel computations and normally verified his fuel quantity using both the fuel gauges and a dipstick. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2548R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2548R), registered now, S/N 18258248, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182K - Registry model: [Cessna 182K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182k) (registry code 2072724) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18258248 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 2697.3 - Engines: Continental Motors O-470-R reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 20, 2020, 86 hours before - Departed: 3L2, Sandy Valley, NV - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: VGT, North Las Vegas, runway 12R/30L, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 251.5 total, 251 in this make and model, 166.5 as pilot in command, 2.6 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: VGT, 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). - [Incident 20210318003389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210318003389I), Mar 18, 2021: Cessna 182K, North Las Vegas, NV, Substantial damage. On the date of the incident the aircraft departed sky ranch airport (3L2) en route to North Las Vegas airport (vgt). During approach the engine stalled and… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103043. 20.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 13.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12966670&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversations (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12969464&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=record%20of%20conversations-Rel.pdf - Textron aviation wreckage examination factual report (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 606 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12969612&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tech%20Report%2018258248_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Video of fuel drip after accident (item 4, MOV, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12966442&FileExtension=MOV&FileName=IMG-1129-Rel.MOV - North las vegas airport operations report (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 613 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12967336&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airport%20Operations%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Fuel system excerpt from manual (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 929 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12966027&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20system%20excerpt%20from%20manual-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 249 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12966933&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Party%20Form%20WPR21LA184_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 8, PDF, 3 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12966125&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-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.