Cessna 180 accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico, June 26, 2002
On June 26, 2002 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2443C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to the proper tank resulting in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to use the checklist and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2002 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Tucumcari, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2443C · no longer on the register · serial 30743
- 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 during his cockpit preflight checks, he neglected to place the fuel selector switch on "both." The pilot said that after approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, he began a descent for landing and "pulled the prop RPM back slightly." The pilot said, "The instant I reduced the RPM the engine began to surge ..." The pilot said he became fixated on the propeller governor as the problem. "When I returned to cruise RPM, it smoothed out for a moment and then began surging again and then stopped producing power." The pilot said he was about 5 miles from the airport. He stated that he immediately picked out a dirt road to land on. The pilot said, "Again, I failed to use the checklist." The pilot said that he was clear of all fences and obstacles when he touched the airplane down on the road, but during rollout the left wing struck a small tree, which caused the airplane to swerve and subsequently impact into a ditch. The pilot reported the fuel selector was positioned to the right tank. An examination of the airplane showed fuel in the left tank, and no fuel in the right tank. At the accident site, the fuel selector was observed in the "both" position. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,964 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,964 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,008 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 16, 2002; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO550-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7M5 Ozark AR at 2:15 pm
- Destination: TCC Tucumcari NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from TCC, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2443C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.