Cessna 182A accident near Jackson, Michigan, July 6, 2006
On July 6, 2006 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4780D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper preflight planning which led to the exhaustion of the fuel supply during the flight. The overload failure of the nose landing gear was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2006 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4780D · no longer on the register · serial 34880
- 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 during a forced landing to a road following a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that he had amended his route of flight to land at a nearby airport for fuel. He stated that shortly after receiving a landing clearance, the engine lost power. He stated that he elected to land on a road because he realized he would not be able to make the airport. During the landing, the pilot saw a road sign that he didn't think he could clear so he elected to land on the grass adjacent to an exit ramp. During the landing, the nose landing gear broke off of the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no useable fuel remaining in the airplane. An interview of the pilot by the inspector revealed that the pilot did not visually check the fuel quantity prior to the flight.
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
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,906 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006; 34 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 1:45 pm
- 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 | 3 |
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.