Cessna 182 accident near Carmi, Illinois, December 4, 2009
On December 4, 2009 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered CGZYU, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Carmi, Illinois. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to assure that the fuel tank filler cap was secured prior to flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2009 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Carmi, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 Q · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- CGZYU · no longer on the register · serial 182-66301
- 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, which was equipped with long range fuel tanks, had been fully fueled five days prior to the flight. After 3.8 hours of flight time, the engine began to surge then lost power. After unsuccessful attempts at restarting the engine, the pilot made an off-airport forced landing during which the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination determined that the right fuel cap was missing, although the chain and spring clip were still in place. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to act as a safety aircraft for Operation Migration. She stated that most of the flying involves making right-hand turns, which results in a higher fuel quantity in the right tank than in the left. The right fuel quantity indicator was indicating 3/8 to 1/2 tank of fuel and the left fuel tank was lower when the engine lost power. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger viewed the top of the wings twice after the airplane was fueled: once to install the canopy cover and again to remove the canopy cover. The fuel cap was not checked for security nor was the fuel level visually checked after the airplane was fueled five days prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,377 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,452 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,495 hours in all; 510 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,429 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,394 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H2 Effingham IL at 12:55 pm
- Destination: 1H2 Effingham IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from CUL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.