Cessna 180J accident near South St. Paul, Minnesota, May 19, 2004
On May 19, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180J, registered GNQK, was substantially damaged in an accident near South St. Paul, Minnesota (Fleming Field). It was a flight test 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 total loss of engine power during takeoff climb due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to follow the aircraft's checklist and leaving the fuel selector in the OFF positon.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- South St. Paul, Minnesota · Fleming Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- GNQK · no longer on the register · serial 18052583
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power on takeoff. The private pilot reported that a new 300 horsepower Continental IO-550-D37 engine had been installed on the airplane and a maintenance flight was required to "break in" the new engine. As part of the engine conversion, a small header tank that held about 1.5 gallons of fuel was installed on the airplane. He reported that the fuel selector was left in the "OFF" position prior to takeoff, and he forgot to put the fuel selector in the "BOTH" position. He reported that the airplane climbed to 500 feet above ground level, and then the engine lost power. He turned back to the airport and the airplane impacted the terrain on the airport property during the forced landing.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 507 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO 550 D37 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGS South St. Paul MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.