Cessna 182A accident near Star, Idaho, June 25, 2005
On June 25, 2005 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N2153G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Star, Idaho. It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor contributing to the accident were the transmission wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2005 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Star, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N2153G · no longer on the register · serial 51453
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power and collided with terrain during the forced landing. Prior to the second flight of the day the pilot fueled the airplane's right wing with approximately 8 gallons of fuel, bringing the total fuel load for the flight to approximately 20 or 21 gallons. The operator of the skydiving operation said that he instructed his pilots to fuel the aircraft after each flight to 21 gallons for a load of 3 or 4 people, and to 19 gallons for a load of 2 people. The accident flight consisted of the pilot and three people; a videographer, and tandem jumper, and a tandem instructor. In an interview with an FAA inspector, the videographer confirmed having witnessed the pilot refuel and "stick" the airplane's fuel tanks prior to departing on the accident flight. Subsequently, the videographer recanted his statement and said that he only witnessed the pilot "stick" the fuel tanks, but he did not observe him fuel the airplane. After deploying the jumpers the pilot commenced a descent with a turn to the right, setting the power to 16 inches of manifold pressure and the propeller to 2,250 rpm. The airplane subsequently experienced a loss of engine power, which resulted in the pilot making a forced landing to an open field. During the forced landing attempt the aircraft impacted a set of transmission wires prior to impacting terrain and nosing over. As a result of a concussion he suffered during the accident, the pilot had no recollection of the flight for approximately 7 to 10 minutes immediately prior to the crash. A post-accident examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector revealed that the right wing contained approximately 1 to 3 gallons of fuel, while the left wing contained about 5 to 7 gallons of fuel. The throttle, mixture and propeller controls were full forward, the carburetor heat was FULL ON, and the fuel selector was positioned to BOTH. A salvage company, who recovered the airplane four days after the accident, reported that during recovery operations approximately 5 gallons of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank, while the right fuel tank was found to be void of any fuel. An examination of the engine and airframe failed to reveal any anomalies, which would have precluded normal operation of the aircraft.
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: 916 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 783 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,339.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 24.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ID92 Star ID at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BOI, 18 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.
Other NTSB records under N2153G 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.