Cessna 182A accident near Sheridan, Oregon, July 30, 1983
On July 30, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N6386B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheridan, Oregon (Sheridan airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Oregon · Sheridan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N6386B · no longer on the register · serial 34286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LOST POWER ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AND MADE CONTACT WITH A FENCE SHORT OF THE RWY AND NOSED OVER. DURING PREFLT THE PILOT HAD OMITTED CHECKING THE FUEL WITH A FUEL STRAINER BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE ONE. DURING INSPECTION THE CARBURETOR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LOOSE SCREW WHICH COULD AFFECT THE AIR METERING SYSTEM. THE FUEL WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A MIXTURE OF AVGAS & AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE. ACCORDING TO THE FBO, THE GASOLINE TRUCK OPERATOR SOMETIMES USES HIS TRUCK TO HAUL AUTOMOTIVE FUEL & IS SUPPOSE TO USE THE FRONT TANK ONLY FOR AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. THE TRUCK HAS 3 COMPARTMENTS. THE REAR TANK IS USED FOR AVGAS, BUT THE TRUCK OPERATOR HAD PUT AUTOMOTIVE FUEL IN THE REAR TANK.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 225 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,483 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 48 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from PDX, 45 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.