Cessna 182F accident near Luling, Texas, May 8, 2018
On May 8, 2018 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 182F, registered N3291U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Luling, Texas (The Carter Memorial Airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to secure the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane, which resulted in a fuel leak on takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2018 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Luling, Texas · The Carter Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F F, built 1963 · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3291U · no longer on the register · serial 18254691
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before taking off for the skydiving flight with four passengers, the commercial pilot refueled the airplane. Shortly after the airplane rotated, the passengers told the pilot that fuel was leaking from the left wing. The pilot believed that the leak was an immediate fire risk, so he decided to perform an off-airport landing. The pilot abruptly lowered the airplane’s nose and landed in a field. The airplane impacted terrain in a left-wing-low attitude and then hit a berm. The engine and right main landing gear separated during the impact sequence, and the left and right wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the left-wing fuel tank cap was not secured and was dangling by the chain. During examination, no issues or anomalies with the left-wing fuel cap or fuel tank filler inlet were found, and the fuel cap was able to be fully secured. An examination of the airframe, engine, and remaining systems revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Given the evidence, it is likely that the pilot did not secure the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane. The airport was less than 1 mile away when the passengers told the pilot about the leak. It is possible that the pilot could have returned to the airport and landed the airplane at the airport without further incident.
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
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Hazardous material leak/spill during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 259 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,622 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-D (piston); 5,439 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T91 Luling TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: T91 Luling TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KHYI, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 29, 2019. 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 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Report Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.