Cessna 182J accident near Delta, Colorado, March 21, 1990
On March 21, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N3372F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delta, Colorado (Blake Field). 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
A DETERIORATED FUEL LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Delta, Colorado · Blake Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3372F · registry record · serial 182-57372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS BACK TAXING FOR TAKEOFF AND DISCOVERED AN ENGINE FIRE. HE CALLED ON UNICOM THAT THE PLANE WAS ON FIRE. HE EXITED AND WAS MET BY TWO MEN WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE PLANE WAS TOWED OFF THE RUNWAY. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT A FLEXIBLE FUEL LINE HAD DETERIORATED AND BEGAN TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MUFFLER, IGNITING A FIRE WHICH DAMAGED MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL. THE LOG BOOK PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF RECENT WORK IN THIS AREA, AND SHOWED 71 FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION.
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: 250 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 214 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 0V2 Salida CO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 0V2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.