Cessna 180 accident near Orr, Minnesota, July 19, 1990
On July 19, 1990 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2134Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orr, Minnesota. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTOR WAS ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1990 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Orr, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2134Z · registry record · serial 51234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLOAT EQUIPPED ACCIDENT AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT TO A CREEK, AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HE HAD DEPARTED A SEAPLANE BASE WITH FULL FUEL TANKS FOR A FLIGHT TO ANOTHER LAKE. THE FOLLOWING DAY HE RETURNED TO HIS DEPARTURE POINT USING AN UNFAMILIAR ROUTE AND BECAME DISORIENTATED. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE SUSPECTED EITHER A LOOSE GAS CAP OR A FUEL LEAK AS A CAUSE OF HIS FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: 930 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Atikokan
- Destination: 8Y8 Crane Lake MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI90LA183.