Cessna 182 accident near Yale, Michigan, September 8, 1995
On September 8, 1995 at about 11:03 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N97109, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yale, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power due to an inadequate fuel supply leading to fuel exhaustion. The inadvertent stall during the forced landing was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1995 · about 11:03 pm local time
- Place
- Yale, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N97109 · no longer on the register · serial 18266982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BELIEVED THERE WAS TEN GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH TANK ACCORDING TO VISUAL AND GAGE READINGS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR, WHILE ENTERING DOWNWIND, THE ENGINE 'SPUTTERED' AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD AND 'STALLED' THE AIRPLANE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A SOY BEAN FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY WHEN HE EXAMINED THEM AFTER THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE FUEL STRAINER AND CARBURETOR BOWL WERE EMPTY. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WAS REPORTED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 507 hours in all; 263 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 458 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,729 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1994; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.