Cessna 182E accident near Imperial, California, December 22, 1990
On December 22, 1990, a Cessna 182E, registered N3320Y, was destroyed in an accident near Imperial, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1990
- Place
- Imperial, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N3320Y · no longer on the register · serial 18254320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HIS ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT ABOUT 22 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION. HE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES. HE STATED HE DEPARTED WITH 65 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL, HE DID NOT SAY HOW HE QUANTIFIED THAT AMOUNT. THE POH STATES THAT 60 GALLONS IS USABLE IN ALL FLIGHT CONDITIONS. ON SCENE EXAMINATION BY FAA PERSONNEL REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR WAS FULL OF FUEL BUT THE TANKS SHOWED MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF FUEL. THE POH INDICATES AN ENDURANCE OF ABOUT 5.4 HOURS AT 60 PERCENT POWER AT 10000 FEEL WITH FULL STANDARD FUEL TANKS. EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS LOCATED BETWEEN BOTH AND THE LEFT TANK POSITIONS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OQ9 Sonoma CA at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.