Cessna 180 accident near Sedona, Arizona, May 28, 1999
On May 28, 1999 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9270C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona airport). 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 an inadequate fuel supply, and the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning fuel consumption calculations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1999 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9270C · no longer on the register · serial 31369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and two passengers departed Wichita, Kansas, for a planned nonstop flight to Sedona, Arizona. The pilot was familiar with the route and had about 1,800 hours flying experience in the airplane, which had been modified to hold 73 gallons of fuel. While en route, all airplane systems functioned normally, and no adverse weather was encountered. Fuel exhaustion occurred upon arrival over the destination airport at 8,500 feet msl. The pilot repositioned the fuel selector to the left fuel tank, but engine power was not restored. The airport's elevation is 4,827 feet msl, and the runway is 5,132 feet long. The pilot descended into the airport's downwind leg, and then turned onto the base leg and final approach leg for runway 21. He reported experiencing a 15- to 20-knot wind from 270 degrees. Unable to glide to the runway, the pilot touched down hard in the dirt between 10 and 15 feet short of the runway, in a stalled attitude. The left main wheel contacted an 8- to 10-inch asphalt berm at the approach end of the runway. After the accident the pilot attempted to start the engine. He stated that the left fuel tank contained several gallons of fuel, and after several seconds of cranking the engine started and operated normally. He also reported that during the flight all of the airplane's systems had functioned normally. Under the direction of the Safety Board, an airframe and powerplant mechanic examined the airplane. The mechanic reported that both of the airplane's wing fuel tank gauges and the auxiliary tank gauge registered empty.
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
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1999; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ICT Wichita KS at 3:00 pm
- Destination: SEZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.