Cessna 182A accident near Lesage, West Virginia, April 10, 2011
On April 10, 2011 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4810D, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Lesage, West Virginia. It was a skydiving 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 loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the improper installation of snap fasteners to the rubberized type fuel cells which resulted in wrinkling of the fuel bladders and incorrect fuel quantity for the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2011 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lesage, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4810D · no longer on the register · serial 34910
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew four skydiving flights without refueling. On the last flight, after the skydivers exited the airplane, the pilot initiated a descent and the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot knew he could not make it back to the airport and made a forced landing to a gravel area. The airplane collided with a gravel mound and nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. According to the pilot, the airplane owner assisted him in fueling the airplane from a local fuel truck. The pilot said he used a ladder and started refueling the right wing with the owner manning the pump. While they were refueling the airplane, the owner asked the pilot if he was getting any fuel because the fuel meter was not running. They looked at the airplane's right main fuel tank and it appeared to be full. The pilot then added what he believed to be 10 gallons of fuel to the left main fuel tank. The pilot thought he had 37.5 gallons of fuel on board when he departed. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The examination also did not reveal any evidence of usable fuel. Additionally, examination of the airplane rubberized bladder type fuel cells located on the inboard bay of each wing panel revealed the snap fasteners normally used to prevent the collapse of the flexible cells were not installed and wrinkling of the bladder was noted. The fuel bladders were replaced about 5 years prior to the accident. It is possible that due to the wrinkling of the right fuel bladder, the pilot may not have had the fuel that he expected when the tank was topped off.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,197 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,123 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 29, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,816 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2010; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I41 Huntington WV at 6:25 pm
- Destination: I41 Huntington WV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from HTS, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.