Cessna 182G accident near Corona, California, May 19, 1997
On May 19, 1997 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N3165S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corona, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 pilot's failure to perform either preflight or en route fuel consumption calculations. The pilot's decision to fly the aircraft without the required pilot's operating handbook (POH) on board was a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1997 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3165S · no longer on the register · serial 18255665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival in the destination area, the pilot was unable to identify his intended airport because of low clouds and haze. He decided to check the weather at the some other airports in the area, but after he had flown a few miles, his engine began to sputter. He switched his fuel selector and rocked the wings but the engine stopped completely within a few moments. The pilot stated that he had been flying by pilotage and dead reckoning and did not have any onboard navigation equipment. He had neither estimated his time en route nor performed any over the ground speed checks. An inspection revealed both tanks contained only residual fuel. The pilot was unable to produce a fuel receipt for his last fuel purchase. There was no pilot operator's handbook (POH) onboard the aircraft and the pilot had not performed any fuel consumption calculations.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 672 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,852 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1996; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDM San Diego CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: L66 CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from CNO, 6 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.