Cessna 182 accident near Howell, Michigan, December 2, 1990
On December 2, 1990 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N70608, was substantially damaged in an accident near Howell, Michigan. 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO RE-FUELING NOT PERFORMED BY THE PIC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS MISJUDGED BY THE PIC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1990 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Howell, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N70608 · no longer on the register · serial 18259324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING FROM A ROUND ROBIN CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, WITHOUT REFUELING, THE PLT SAID THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED IN A WHEAT FIELD WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL.
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: 314 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 314 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJX Beaver Island MI at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 436 Bellville MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from PTK, 25 miles away
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.