Cessna 182 accident near Moab, Utah, June 10, 1989
On June 10, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N92299, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moab, Utah. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE FLIGHT AND COMPANY INDUCED PRESSURE BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM A LACK OF FUEL. THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND THE TREE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moab, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N92299 · registry record · serial 182-60138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PLT HAD FLOWN 3 HRS & WAS STARTING THE LAST LEG OF A PART 135 PASSENGER FLT. HE SAID HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS. HE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHIEF PLT/OPERATOR & WAS TOLD TO PROCEED TO MOAB. THE PLT SAID THE CHIEF PLT DID NOT LOOK AT THE GAUGES. HE WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE FLAPS ON THIS ACFT DID NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY. THE PLT SAID THAT AFTER 30 MIN OF FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. A PASSENGER THAT WAS ABOARD THE ACFT SAID SHE HEARD THE PLT RADIO THAT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF FUEL & THAT HE WAS MAKING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT SELECTED A DIRT ROAD IN ROUGH TERRAIN (APRX 5 MI SW OF THE DESTN). DRG THE LANDING ROLL, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED & THE RGT WING STRUCK A TREE. ANOTHER COMPANY PLT FLEW OVER THE DOWNED ACFT & COORDINATED RESCUE EFFORTS. BEFORE THE PLANE WAS RECOVERED, 6.1 GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL TANKS. THE ACFT FLT MANUAL STATED THAT EACH OF THE 2 TANKS CONTAINED 3 GAL OF UNUSABLE 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 906 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 702 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,523 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1988; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Redtail Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Hite UT at 9:30 pm
- Destination: CNY Moab UT
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.