Cessna 182A accident near Santa Paula, California, July 4, 1997
On July 4, 1997 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N2011G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/inspection and his failure to ensure that adequate fuel was onboard prior to departure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1997 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N2011G · registry record · serial 51311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the preflight inspection a calibrated instrument was used to dip the tanks; the aircraft had approximately 7 gallons in the right tank, and 9 gallons in the left tank. The pilot did not report the nature of the calibrated instrument, nor how it was calibrated to the aircraft fuel system. On takeoff the fuel selector valve was set to the left tank and shortly after takeoff he switched it to the right tank. He ran the right tank dry and when the engine quit, he switched to the left tank and began a circling descent to the airport. The engine ran approximately 5 more minutes and then lost power again. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot reported that prior to the accident the aircraft was running normally and no deficiencies were noted. The pilot reported to an FAA inspector that he had technically ran out of fuel. The inspector examined the aircraft on scene the day of the accident and reported that the fuel system appeared to be intact and no fuel was present in either of the tanks. According to the inspector no other mechanical anomalies were noted with the aircraft.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,735 hours in all; 576 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,335 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,246 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 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: SMX Santa Maria CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: WHP Pacoima CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,417 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:05 pm from CMA, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2011G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX97LA232.