Cessna 180A accident near Redding, California, July 13, 2007
On July 13, 2007 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180A, registered N5248D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redding, California (Benton Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision concerning fuel system management and his failure to refuel while en route.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2007 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Redding, California · Benton Field Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N5248D · no longer on the register · serial 50146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The personal cross-country flight departed from Arlington, Washington, and briefly stopped in Grants Pass, Oregon, departing about 1100 for a final destination of Redding. While on a 2.5-mile final approach to the destination airport, the engine experienced a loss of engine power and the pilot performed an emergency landing in a field. The airplane collided with a berm during the landing roll. Just prior to the loss of power, the right fuel tank was empty and the left fuel tank had about 6 gallons of fuel remaining; the fuel selector was positioned on the "both" selection. According to the airplane's Owner's Manual, 5 gallons of fuel is unusable per tank in non-level flight. The pilot did not refuel while en route.
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
- Flight time: 762 hours in all; 218 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 762 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,335.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 31.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S8 Grants Pass OR at 6:00 pm
- Destination: O85 Redding CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from RDD, 7 miles away
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.