Cessna 180 accident near Mitchell, Oregon, October 2, 2009
On October 2, 2009 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1621C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Mitchell, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s lack of understanding of the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2009 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchell, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1621C · no longer on the register · serial 30321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power during flight and the pilot performed a forced landing in rugged terrain. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed minimal evidence of fuel. The airplane had a modified fuel tank system through a supplemental type certificate (STC). The STC changed the fuel capacity of the two fuel tanks from 30 gallons to 28.2 gallons each. The installation information for the STC noted that to determine the usable fuel for the airplane, the airplane’s type certificate data sheet (TCDS) should be referenced and the unusable fuel amount listed therein should be subtracted from the new total fuel capacity. The TCDS for the airplane stated that 5 gallons of fuel were unusable, which made the new total usable fuel capacity on the airplane 51.4 gallons. As a part of the STC, the airplane flight manual (AFM) and the fuel selector valve placard were to be updated with the revised usable fuel quantity. This action was noted on the FAA Form 337 for the STC installation. The pilot had purchased the airplane several years prior to the accident and the previous owner told him that all of the fuel (56.4 gallons) was usable. The pilot reported that there was no AFM supplement for the STC included in his paperwork, and that he did not ever look at the quantities indicated on the fuel selector valve placard in the cockpit due to its location between the seats. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 824 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 724 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 2009; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Pistol Creek ID at 5:30 pm
- Destination: RDM Redmond OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from RDM, 63 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.