Cessna 182R accident near Redstone Arsena, Alabama, October 21, 1995
On October 21, 1995, a Cessna 182R, registered N3163E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redstone Arsena, Alabama (Redstone Aaf airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's poor inflight planning decision for not flying the scheduled time and electing to perform 3 additional takeoffs not planned during fuel consumption calculations. Contributing to the accident was the use of an inaccurate dipstick.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1995
- Place
- Redstone Arsena, Alabama · Redstone Aaf
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3163E · no longer on the register · serial 18268236
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that 3 flights lasting a total of about 5 hours were scheduled due to installation of the rebuilt engine. Before departure on the first flight the fuel tanks were nearly full. The first and second flights were uneventful and both lasted 3.4 hours. The pilot used a commercially fabricated dipstick with incorrect readings to verify fuel quantity before departing on the third flight. Fuel servicing was not performed before departure for the third flight. After departure the pilot activated his VFR flight plan which he later updated the ETA. The flight returned and the pilot performed 2 full stop landings. While turning base for the final full stop landing, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot was unable to land on the runway due to an extended downwind leg and landed in trees. The engine had been operated for about 6.0 hours since fueling including 3 additional takeoff's not planned during the fuel consumption calculations. Search and Rescue was delayed due to ATC comment that the overdue flight was actually safe on the ground.
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: 566 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1995; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUA at 10:25 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N3163E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.