Cessna 182P accident near Chico, California, January 27, 2005
On January 27, 2005 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N7337S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chico, California. 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
A loss of engine power during approach to land for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2005 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chico, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N7337S · no longer on the register · serial 18265128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. In cruise flight, the pilot selected 22 inches of manifold pressure and 2,200 revolutions per minute (rpm). As he descended, he reduced the manifold pressure to 16-17 inches, pulled the carburetor heat on, and left the rpm at 2,200. He was about 2 miles from the airport, and making a 45-degree entry to the downwind, which is the local approach to the runway. He had one notch of flaps selected. As he descended through 600 feet, the engine died. He raised the flaps after the engine quit producing power. He selected full down flaps about 20 feet above the trees. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot secured the master switch, magnetos, and fuel. The airplane was in a nose low position, and fuel flowed out of the vent. During a follow-up examination, the engine ran for several minutes during a test run with no discrepancies noted.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-470-S(3) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVO Novato CA
- Destination: O23 Chico CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from CIC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.