Cessna 152 accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon, May 17, 2006
On May 17, 2006 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69183, was substantially damaged in an accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon (Klamath Falls International airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's inadequate in-flight decision by failing to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. Soft terrain was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2006 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2006
- Place
- Klamath Falls, Oregon · Klamath Falls International · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N69183 · no longer on the register · serial 15282533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a telephone conversation and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that during the return leg to Ashland, he become disoriented and requested vectors to the nearest airport because of concerns about the aircraft's total time aloft and "...my fuel situation." Seattle Center advised the pilot that Chiloquin, Oregon, was approximately 10 miles north-northwest of his position, however it was not known if fuel was available at the airport and the ATC Specialist asked the pilot if Klamath Falls, approximately 35 miles from his location, would be an option. The pilot believed he had sufficient fuel to complete the flight to Klamath, however approximately 2 miles from reaching the airport the airplane's engine began to surge and eventually lost power. The pilot stated that he was unable to reach the runway and elected to land in an open field. As the airplane touched down in the field, it encountered soft muddy terrain and "flipped nose over." The pilot reported that he believed he had approximately 15 minutes of fuel remaining when the airplane lost engine power, however he later stated the airplane "just ran out of fuel." The airplane was "topped" prior to departing Ashland. The Hobbs meter indicated that the airplane had flown approximately 3.6 hours since it had been fueled.
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
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skinner Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: Plush OR
- Destination: S03 Ashland OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N69183: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 14 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Crater Lake/Klamath Regional · nearest airport
- Ashland Muni/Sumner Parker Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,011 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA06CA099.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.