Cessna 182C accident near Rimrock, Arizona, June 29, 1997
On June 29, 1997, a Cessna 182C, registered N5158U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rimrock, Arizona (Rimrock airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel starvation due to the pilot's failure to monitor the fuel level in the right tank, and to select a tank containing fuel during the approach and landing in accordance with the checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1997
- Place
- Rimrock, Arizona · Rimrock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5158U · no longer on the register · serial 52903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the wind was gusting as they watched the pilot attempt a go-around. As he added power, the engine sputtered and quit. One of the owners of the airplane stated he had refueled the airplane 3 days prior to the accident. He said he had topped the three tanks with autogas, which was approved for the airplane under an STC. The right wing's fuel capacity was 27.5 gallons of useable fuel. According to the pilot's operating handbook, the pilot is to switch to the right tank position after reaching a cruise altitude, and then operate from this tank until the fuel supply is exhausted. The pilot can then switch to the left tank, pull on the transfer pump switch, and refill the right main tank from the auxiliary fuel tank. The left tank was found nearly full, the auxiliary fuel tank had fuel in it, although it was found to be leaking from that tank. The right tank was completely empty. The fuel selector was located in the right position, with no signs of impact damage. The engine was examined at a later date, with no abnormalities noted. The pilot reported that it was normal practice to run on the right fuel tank enough so that the fuel in the auxiliary tank could be pumped into the right tank. Additionally, he estimated that the aircraft had approximately 2.5 hours of flight time on the right tank before the accident.
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: 174 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 96 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Destination: E76
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from FLG, 35 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.