Cessna 182 accident near Show Low, Arizona, January 26, 1991
On January 26, 1991 at about 3:35 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N8900X, was destroyed in an accident near Show Low, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS INOPERATIVE FUEL GAUGES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1991 · about 3:35 am local time
- Place
- Show Low, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N8900X · registry record · serial 18253300
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 182 EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE DURING CRUISE. THE PILOT STATED HE SWITCHED TANKS, APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND ENRICHENED THE MIXTURE TO NO AVAIL. HE STATED THAT THE WAY IT STOPPED HE SUSPECTED NO FUEL. THE FUEL GUAGES WERE REPORTED TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS QUANTIFYING HIS FUEL USAGE WITH A FUEL LOG BOOK. AFTER THE CRASH THE PILOT STATED HE INSPECTED THE FUEL TANKS AND THEYY APPEARED TO BE EMPTY.
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: 768 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 661 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PO6 Chandler AZ at 2:00 am
- Destination: SOW Showlow AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 40 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.