Cessna T182 accident near Hemet, California, April 26, 1997
On April 26, 1997 at about 9:33 pm local time, a Cessna T182, registered N5482N, was destroyed in an accident near Hemet, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's decision not to dip check the aircraft fuel tanks after he had noted a disagreement between the cockpit fuel gages and what he had observed visually in the fuel tanks, and his failure to accomplish in-flight endurance calculations based on aircraft handbook performance data, which led to the engine power loss due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1997 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Hemet, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T182 · all T182s on the register
- Registration
- N5482N · no longer on the register · serial 18267751
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power during cruise flight, and the airplane was destroyed during the subsequent forced landing. During the investigation of the airframe and engine, no fuel was found in either aircraft wing tank, the fuel feed line to the engine, or the fuel filter bowl. No other preevent malfunctions or abnormalities were discovered in either the airframe or the engine. During his preflight inspection, the pilot stated that the cockpit fuel gauges did not agree with the amount of fuel he saw when he visually checked the fuel tanks for quantity. However, he did not dip check the tanks to verify the amount of fuel onboard. Available aircraft and fueling records indicated that at the time of the accident the aircraft had been flown for 5.3 hours since last refueled, with four takeoffs and landings accomplished. The pilot's handbook for the aircraft states a maximum endurance of 5.5 hours with one takeoff and landing included.
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: 100 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,752 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1997; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,112 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3-CSD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L77 Chiriaco Summit CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: F70 French Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from RAL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.