Cessna 182 accident near Bellingham, Washington, August 12, 2002
On August 12, 2002 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6420A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to continue en route in cruise flight when his fuel supply became low, eventually leading to fuel exhaustion while on final approach to the destination airport. Factors include the fact that the final approach course took the aircraft over an open body of water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2002 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham International · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6420A · registry record · serial 33220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a non-stop flight from Chester, California to Bellingham, Washington. Near the end of the four and one-half hour flight, the aircraft's fuel gauges indicated the fuel supply was nearly depleted, but the pilot thought he would have enough fuel to complete his descent to a landing. Although he was granted a straight-in approach, when the aircraft was approximately four miles from the end of the runway, the engine lost power, and he was forced to ditch in the bay that was underneath the final approach course. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that, except for a small residual amount, both fuel tanks had been run dry.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,661 hours in all; 1,298 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,515 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,807 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2001; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O05 Chester CA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from BLI
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6420A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,833 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-L 19 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bellingham International · nearest airport
- Rogers Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,663 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA02LA154.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.