Cessna 182C accident near Silver City, New Mexico, October 31, 1990
On October 31, 1990, a Cessna 182C, registered N8859T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico. 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1990
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8859T · registry record · serial 52759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHT NEAR SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SAID THAT HE RAN THE LEFT FUEL TANK DRY, BUT WHEN HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART. HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME/ALTITUDE TO GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED BEFORE HE HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON A FORCED LANDING. THE LANDING WAS NORMAL BUT DURING THE GROUND ROLL THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK A HIDDEN ROCK CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER AND DAMAGED THE EMPENNAGE AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER.
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: 330 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHU Lake Havasu Cit AZ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: TCS Truth Or Conseq NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.