Cessna 182C accident near Stanley, Idaho, April 27, 2003
On April 27, 2003 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8690T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stanley, Idaho. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power during descent. A factor contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2003 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Stanley, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8690T · registry record · serial 52590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departing the pilot attempted refueling; however, no fuel was added as the fueling truck's battery was low. The pilot calculated he had 1 hour and 30 minutes of fuel on board, and that with each of the next two legs being 20 minutes each, he had a good 40 minutes of fuel reserve. The first leg of the flight took 20 minutes. The airplane departed on its second leg, but approximately 10 minutes into the flight the pilot encountered weather which he tried deviating around to the south, then to the north. At this time the pilot checked his watch, noting he had been in the air 30 minutes since departing. The pilot's GPS indicated he was 5 minutes from his destination and that the weather had moved through the area. In another 2 1/2 minutes the airport was in sight, and 30 to 40 seconds later the engine sputtered and quit. The airplane touched down approximately 2 1/2 miles short of the airport. FAA inspectors examined the airplane and found no fuel present. No other anomalies were noted.
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: 14,399 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,803 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 2003; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U88 Garden Valley ID at 10:10 pm
- Destination: 2U7 Stanley ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from LLJ, 35 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.
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.