Cessna 182P accident near Pacoima, California, March 2, 1991
On March 2, 1991 at about 7:48 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N182WS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacoima, California. It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF THE PIC TO ENSURE THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FREE OF WATER PRIOR TO FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE COMPLIANCE WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PRECLUDE WATER FROM ENTERING THE FUEL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1991 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N182WS · registry record · serial 18264263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT/CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/INSTRUMENT STUDENT WERE DEPARTING ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT. ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE QUIT AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE BY THE CFI IN A WATER COVERED FLOOD CONTROL BASIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOTS WERE NOT INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF WATER IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. HEAVY RAIN PRECEDED THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE FUEL CAPS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN LEAKING AROUND THE 'O' RING SEALS, AND WRINKLING OF THE FUEL BLADDER BOTTOMS WAS LOCATED. LONG TERM LEAKING OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT FUEL CAP ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE WING WAS ALSO FOUND. AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES PERTAINING TO THE FUEL CAPS AND BLADDER WRINKLES WERE REPORTEDLY COMPLIED WITH AT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,047 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 4,648 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,956 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 7, 1991; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Quest Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 7:48 pm
- Destination: WJF Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX91LA115.