Cessna 180 accident near Omaha, Nebraska, December 2, 2010
On December 2, 2010 at about 10:30 am local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3246D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Omaha, Nebraska (Eppley Airfield). 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
A loss of engine power due to a stuck check valve in the carburetor acceleration pump, resulting in an improper fuel mixture when the pilot attempted to add power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2010 · about 10:30 am local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Omaha, Nebraska · Eppley Airfield · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3246D · registry record · serial 32044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing approach and 1/2-mile from the runway, the engine lost power. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted a tree and terrain. During postaccident functional testing of the engine, it lost power when the throttle was moved quickly from a low power setting to a high power setting, and became more pronounced as the engine got warmer. The carburetor was removed from the engine and a visual inspection was conducted. A roughness was felt in the accelerator pump while manually moving the control at the carburetor, and very little fuel flow came from the accelerator pump. The carburetor was disassembled and all check valves, ports and vents, the venturi, nozzle bleed holes, carburetor bowl vent channels, and float assembly were cleaned. After reassembly, a much higher fuel output was achieved. The carburetor and accelerator pump were reinstalled on the engine, and all functional checks were normal.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Malfunction other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHP Philip SD at 8:30 am
- Destination: OMA Omaha NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14L, 7,020 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 16, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120, Pilot-operator Aircraft Accident Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Report of Events from the Pilot's Perspective) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Memorandum | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3246D on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-A 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Eppley Airfield · nearest airport
- Philip Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Nebraska 763 since 1982 · 108 in the last ten years
- Nebraska 2,947 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11LA089.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.