Cessna 182L accident near Cheneyville, Louisiana, June 2, 2007
On June 2, 2007 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182L, registered N3356R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cheneyville, Louisiana (Alexandria Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power while climbing due to the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain at the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2007 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cheneyville, Louisiana · Alexandria Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3356R · no longer on the register · serial 18258656
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, the engine of his single-engine airplane developed an abnormal fluctuation while climbing through 1,300 feet MSL. As a precaution, the pilot elected to return to the departure airport; however, while turning to the airport, the engine lost power, and he prepared for a forced landing to an open field. Prior to the forced landing, he noticed freshly dug ditches on both side of the field, and he repositioned to an adjacent field to the right of his initial landing spot. The pilot added that the engine began to surge when the airplane was about 300 feet above the ground, which extended his glide. The airplane touched down on soft ground, the tires sunk in, and the airplane nosed-over. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuel bladders in both wings were not breached and there was no evidence of fuel stains around the vented fuel caps. Approximately 1-gallon of light blue fuel was drained from the right tank, and less than 1-gallon of light blue fuel was drained from the left tank. The fuel was free of water and debris. The engine mounted fuel strainer bowl was empty, and the fuel screen was clean. The pilot reported that he did a preflight inspection of the airplane, but did not visually inspect the fuel tanks. Instead he relied on a fuel flow meter installed in the cockpit, which indicated a total of 43.6 gallons. The pilot reported that the gauge was usually accurate, and he was unaware of what happened to the fuel he thought was onboard.
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: 450 hours in all; 427 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,371.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 0470R42B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2R6 Bunkie LA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: 2L0 Temecula CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; a few clouds
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:30 pm from AEX, 25 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.
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.