Cessna 182H accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, October 5, 2003
On October 5, 2003 at about 7:17 am local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N1919X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville Downtown Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection by his failure to secure the left fuel tank cap which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2003 · about 7:17 am local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Knoxville Downtown Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1919X · no longer on the register · serial 18256019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he topped off both fuel tanks prior to departing Knoxville Downtown Island Airport. The airplane had extended range tanks and held 51 gallons of fuel. The pilot stated that there were 12 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 39 gallons of fuel in the right tank. The flight from Knoxville Downtown Island Airport to Auburn-Opelika Airport was uneventful. On the return trip, from Auburn to Knoxville, the pilot switched the fuel lever to the right fuel tank immediately after departure to compensate for the unequal fuel quantities. Approximately 8 miles east of the Knoxville Downtown Island Airport at 2500 feet, the airplane engine began to sputter and the pilot stated that he moved the fuel lever to the both tanks position. The airplane engine fired, ran shortly and then stopped. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and reported the engine failure to the air traffic controller. The pilot set up the airplane for a slow, full flap descent but was unable to see where to land due to the darkness. The right wing of the airplane struck a tree and the airplane came to rest in a small field. Examination of the airplane revealed the outer section of the right wing and wing strut detached, the nose gear detached and damage to the propeller. Blue fuel stains were found streaking along the top of the left wing and left side of the fuselage, and the left fuel cap was missing. A search for the fuel cap along the crash path and general area of the wreckage was unsuccessful. The examination found no usable fuel in either tank. The fuel caps on this airplane were aftermarket gas caps installed in accordance with STC # SA2376CE. The gas caps are designed to be twisted on and when the cap is completely rotated in a clockwise direction, it will stop in a locked position. The gas cap is visible from the ground but does not have any reference markings to allow a person to visually determine if the gas caps are properly locked in place. During the pilot's post-accident interview and his written statement, he did not report securing the fuel caps during the preflight inspection.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUO Auburn AL at 5:00 am
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:42 am from TYS, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.