Cessna 182D accident near Chehalis, Washington, May 25, 2008
On May 25, 2008 at about 2:35 am local time, a Cessna 182D, registered N8855X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Chehalis, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion caused by a missing fuel tank cap that allowed the fuel to be siphoned out. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection at the last airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2008 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- Chehalis, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D · all 182Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8855X · no longer on the register · serial 18253255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed at an airport along his route of flight to refuel. The airport was out of fuel and the pilot decided to continue his flight without refueling. While en route, the engine lost power and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with the foundation of an old structure. Post-accident inspection of the airplane found that the left wing fuel cap was missing. Blue colored streaking was observed on the top of the left wing, flap and side of the fuselage. Approximately a half gallon of fuel was present in the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank was empty. The fuel cap was later found near the fueling station at the airport where the pilot had attempted to refuel the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,654 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,297 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2008; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S7B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 38W Lynden WA at 1:30 am
- Destination: CLS Chehalis WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from CLS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.