Cessna 182D accident near Tucson, Arizona, April 5, 1997
On April 5, 1997 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182D, registered N9000X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (La Cholla Airpark 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 inadequate preflight inspections performed by both pilots. A factor in the accident was the crosswind experienced during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1997 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · La Cholla Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D · all 182Ds on the register
- Registration
- N9000X · registry record · serial 18253400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner reported that he had purchased the airplane from the pilot the day before the accident flight. The purpose of the flight was to familiarize himself with the airplane. Prior to departure he and the pilot had performed portions of the preflight inspection. He had not examined the fuel tanks to determine the quantity of fuel onboard, but believed both of the fuel tank gauges registered about 1/4 full. During initial climb the engine surged several times and all power was lost. According to the owner, he then relinquished control to the right seated pilot. The right seated pilot made a forced landing in a southerly direction on a nearby road. During rollout the airplane encountered a strong westerly crosswind, veered off the road, and collided with a dirt embankment. The owner subsequently reported that he suspected the airplane ran out of gas.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,024 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1997; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40E at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,000 ft by 25 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°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.