Cessna 182 accident near Bryan, Texas, May 21, 1994
On May 21, 1994 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6372A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bryan, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1994 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Bryan, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6372A · registry record · serial 33172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14, A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. DUE TO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, TRANSMISSION LINES, AND VEHICLE TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY, THE PILOT MADE A DECISION TO LAND IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE NOSE GEAR, LEFT MAIN GEAR, AND LEFT WING WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOT REPORTED 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE INITIAL PREFLIGHT. OPERATOR RECORDS INDICATED 12.5 GALLONS AT THE START OF THE DAY'S FLIGHTS WITH 17 GALLONS ADDED AFTER THE SECOND SKYDIVING FLIGHT FOR A TOTAL OF 29.5 GALLONS. TACHOMETER READINGS INDICATED 3.44 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME FOR THE DAY. FLIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY VARIED IN DURATION AND ALTITUDE. THE LAST FLIGHT WAS THE NINTH TRIP FOR THE DAY. MANUFACTURER FUEL BURN PERFORMANCE DATA VARIES FROM 2.5 GPH TO 11.4 GPH. DURING RECOVERY, FUEL DRAINED FROM THE LEFT WING TANK WAS 2.5 GALLONS WITH A FEW OUNCES FROM THE RIGHT TANK. FUEL QUANTITY DATA STATES THE TOTAL UNUSABLE FUEL AS 3 GALLONS. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE GASCOLATOR AND THE CARBURETOR; HOWEVER, NO RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN ANY FUEL LINES.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,769 hours in all; 423 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command; 1,307 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,988 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 11, 1993; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CFD
- Destination: CFD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- 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.