Cessna 182 N3850D

Summary

On 24 August 2010 at about 00:15 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N3850D, operated by William Burr, was involved in an accident near Ojai, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 August 2010 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Ojai, California, United States

Coordinates

34.4333, -119.2333

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N3850D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

William Burr

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sacramento → Santa Paula

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10FA423

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was on the return leg of a cross-country flight and the pilot added about 16 gallons of fuel before departure. During the flight, he noticed that the alternator-out light was illuminated, and the voltmeter indicated a discharge, but this would not have affected the already-running engine. The airplane was in cruise flight at 7,500 feet mean sea level when it suddenly lost engine power; the pilot said that the power did not decrease gradually or sputter. The pilot indicated that he tried numerous methods to restart the engine without success. The direct-sight fuel gauges were indicating between the 1/4 and 1/3 levels. The airplane was losing altitude, and the pilot decided to try to land on a golf course. He left the flaps in the up position to extend his glide. During the final stage of the descent, the right wing hit a tree. After touchdown, the airplane hit a bush and spun around before coming to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The environmental conditions were not conducive to carburetor icing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.