Cessna 182 accident near Farmerville, Louisiana, June 14, 1991
On June 14, 1991 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6278A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmerville, Louisiana. 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
A FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE PROPER FUEL TANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1991 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Farmerville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6278A · registry record · serial 33078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT IN ORDER TO DROP TWO SKYDIVERS. AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE PARACHUTISTS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED DURING APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH 60 FOOT HIGH PINE TREES ONE HALF MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY; THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 11 GALLONS, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS MISSING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 580 as pilot in command; 223 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.