Cessna 182E accident near Toutle, Washington, September 4, 2005
On September 4, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182E, registered N2942Y, was destroyed in an accident near Toutle, Washington. It was a personal flight 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 loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to properly secure the fuel caps during his self-servicing and (improperly) preflighting the airplane. A contributing factor was the utility pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Toutle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N2942Y · no longer on the register · serial 18253942
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he had "topped the tanks" and secured the gas caps before his departure from Snohomish, Washington. He said that after approximately 30 minutes of flight, he noticed that the fuel tanks were reading approximately empty, and he "knew something was wrong." He immediately descended and headed for the nearest airport when the engine lost power. During the forced landing attempt, the aircraft impacted a utility pole and separated the outboard right wing tip. The airplane continued forward and rotated to the right, subsequently the left wing tip was bent/wrinkled against an earthen road embankment. Post accident evaluation by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector and the evaluation of photographs taken by the pilot indicate that both caps were improperly attached, and there was residual evidence that fuel had been streaming aft from each refueling cap.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 974 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S43 Snohomish WA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: HIO Hillsboro OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,800 ft; ovct at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from TDO, 8 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.
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.