Cessna C-180 accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota, March 28, 2004
On March 28, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna C-180, registered N2916C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota. 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
The pilot's improper fuel management due to his delay in transferring auxiliary fuel which resulted in exhaustion of fuel from the main fuel tanks. The excessive fuel flow for undetermined reasons, the road embankment, the inaccurate fuel level indicators, the unsuitable terrain encountered for the forced landing, and the low altitude were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-180
- Registration
- N2916C · no longer on the register · serial 30816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it nosed over after impacting a road embankment during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. According to the pilot, the cruise portion of the flight was conducted at a power setting of 22 inches of manifold pressure and 2,350 RPM. He stated that he had not yet transferred fuel from the auxiliary fuel tanks to the main tanks. The auxiliary tanks are operated by transferring fuel to the main tanks and then the main tanks deliver fuel to the engine. The airplane had a STC'd (Supplemental Type Certificate) engine conversion and a representative of the company stated that at 22 to 23 inches of manifold pressure and 2,300 RPM, the engine should burn about 13 gallons of fuel per hour. The main fuel tanks had a combined fuel capacity of 60 gallons with 55 gallons useable. Subsequent to the accident, the main fuel tanks contained a combined total of 1/2 gallon of fuel. The auxiliary fuel tanks had a combined total of 14 gallons of fuel. The pilot stated that at the time the engine stopped producing power both fuel quantity gauges read 1/4 full.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 824 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Denver CO at 4:03 pm
- Destination: ABR Aberdeen SD
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KABR
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.