Cessna 180B accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina, May 5, 1992
On May 5, 1992 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N5127E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL FOR THE PLANNED FLIGHT; WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH VEGETATION IN THE FORCED LANDING FIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1992 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5127E · registry record · serial 50427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN TO ANOTHER FIELD, ABOUT 40 MILES AWAY, FOR REPAIRS TO THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK. HE SAID HE WAS BURNING THE FUEL FROM THAT TANK FOR THE REPAIRS TO BE DONE. EN ROUTE THE TANK RAN DRY & HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. HE ALSO STATED THAT IMPENDING WEATHER FORCED HIM TO ABORT THE FLIGHT, SO HE WAS RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. WHILE ON A 2 MILE FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD WITH TALL WHEAT & THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. 20 MINUTES ELAPSED BETWEEN THE PILOT'S STATED TAKE OFF & LANDING TIMES. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. ALL OF THE FUEL WAS THEN DRAINED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE FOLLOWING FUEL QUANTITIES WERE DRAINED: 1.5 GALLONS FROM THE RIGHT TANK, ONE QUART FROM THE LEFT TANK, TWO OUNCES FROM THE GASCOLATOR. FUEL WAS REPLACED IN THE AIRPLANE & THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. UNUSABLE FUEL SPECIFIED FOR THE AIRPLANE IS 10 GALLONS.
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
- Flight time: 649 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 604 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1991; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from NCA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.