Cessna 182P accident near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, August 13, 2023
On August 13, 2023 at about 9:35 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 182P, registered N22RE, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly secure the left wing fuel cap, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2023 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P, built 1974 · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N22RE · registry record · serial 18263425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he visually confirmed there were 52 gallons of fuel onboard and that both fuel caps were secure to their respective fuel port during his preflight inspection of the airplane. The pilot then departed on the approximate 1 hour and 15-minute flight. While en route, the “low fuel light” flickered on and off. The pilot noted the fuel gauge was reading half full, and he continued with the flight. When the airplane was about 8 minutes from the destination airport, and after descending to traffic pattern altitude, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and made a forced landing to a highway. The airplane impacted a jersey barrier during the landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airplane accident site and observed that the left wing fuel cap was missing and blue fuel stains were evident on the wing aft of the fuel cap that extended to the trailing edge of the flap. Recovery personnel also reported that both fuel tanks were empty when the wings were removed for transport. The missing fuel cap was not located. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot did not properly secure the left fuel cap during the preflight inspection, and that during the flight it separated from the airplane. The remaining fuel was siphoned from the fuel tanks through the open fuel port, resulting in fuel exhaustion, and the total loss of engine power.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 101 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 5, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 6,491 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKH Gastonia NC at 8:25 pm
- Destination: CRE North Myrtle Beach NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KCRE, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCRE 132153Z 20012KT 10SM CLR 32/27 A2996
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA336.