Cessna 182E accident near Middletown Springs, Vermont, September 21, 2013
On September 21, 2013 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 1962 Cessna 182E, registered N3152Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Middletown Springs, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2013 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Middletown Springs, Vermont · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E, built 1962 · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N3152Y · no longer on the register · serial 18254152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed from a private airport that did not have fuel available for purchase. The pilot reported that he elected to refuel while en route to his destination instead of other airports located near the departure airport. The pilot further reported that upon reaching the airport that he intended to refuel at, he found it was closed and diverted to another airport. At that time, he noticed that the airplane's fuel gauge needles were "bouncing off empty." The airplane subsequently experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall and forward portion of the fuselage. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and had he received a full weather briefing prior to the flight, he would have known about the closed airport and planned accordingly.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,654 hours in all; 2,852 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 3, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,308 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 2013; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 288 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VT26 South Hero VT at 12:00 pm
- Destination: GFL Glens Falls NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 126°F (52°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from RUT, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.