Cessna 182H accident near Ruth, California, April 5, 1983
On April 5, 1983 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N2353X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruth, California (Ruth 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1983 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Ruth, California · Ruth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2353X · registry record · serial 182156253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AT RUTH, CA, THE ACFT WAS REFUELED WITH APRX 38 GAL OF 80/87 OCTANE AVIATION FUEL. DURING TAKEOFF, ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER LANDING, THE ENG LOST POWER AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU APRX 200 TO 300 FT AGL. THE PLT LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN THE BEST AVAILABLE FIELD. APRX 50 FT AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS, FUEL STRAINER & CARBURETOR. THE FUEL PUMP AT THE ARPT WAS CHECKED & WATER WAS ALSO FOUND AT THAT SOURCE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,112 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 967 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: Zenia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,170 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX83LA176.