Cessna 182A accident near Moab, Utah, June 14, 2015
On June 14, 2015 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1958 Cessna 182A, registered N5143D, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Moab, Utah (Canyonlands Field). It was a skydiving 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 pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning and inflight fuel management, which resulted in a total 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
- June 14, 2015 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Moab, Utah · Canyonlands Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A, built 1958 · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N5143D · registry record · serial 51243
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that he maneuvered back toward the airport to land after dropping skydivers. During the approach for landing, about 1,000 ft above the airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and subsequently initiated a forced landing to the desert floor. The airplane departed with about 14 gallons of fuel on board, and the flight was about 30 to 35 minutes in duration. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing fuel tank contained about 5 gallons of fuel, and the left wing fuel tank contained about 3 gallons. According to the airplane's operating limitations, 10 gallons of fuel is unusable in all flight attitudes (5 gallons per tank). Given a fuel consumption rate of about 12 gallons per hour and the fuel found in the wing tanks after the accident, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNY Moab UT
- Destination: CNY Moab UT
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 050° at 19 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 1:06 am from CNY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 25, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Excerpt POH Fuel Information | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Summary of Findings (FAA Slc Fsdo) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5143D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.