Cessna 182 accident near Cottage Grove, Minnesota, June 18, 1990
On June 18, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N9977E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION AND REMEDIAL ACTION NOT PERFORMED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N9977E · registry record · serial 18264037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, DURING A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN, IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL. THE PLT SAID THAT SHE SMELLED GASOLINE FUMES DURING THE THREE HOUR FLIGHT, BUT DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE ACCIDENT DAMAGE, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO ASCERTAIN A FUEL LEAK.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,482 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K59 Atchison KS at 4:05 pm
- Destination: STP St.Paul MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from MPS, 10 miles away
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 N9977E 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.