Cessna 182D accident near Oak Harbor, Washington, June 30, 2015
On June 30, 2015 at about 3:13 am local time, a 1960 Cessna 182D, registered N9980T, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Oak Harbor, Washington (Aj Eisenberg airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, 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 30, 2015 · about 3:13 am local time
- Place
- Oak Harbor, Washington · Aj Eisenberg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D D, built 1960 · all 182Ds on the register
- Registration
- N9980T · no longer on the register · serial 18253080
- 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, during a skydiving flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power during final approach for landing. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field, and during the landing sequence, the airplane impacted a tree. No fuel was observed in the fuel tanks or fuel lines during recovery of the wreckage. Postaccident examination revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The company fuel log indicated that about 18.2 gallons of useable fuel were onboard the accident airplane before the first flight of the day; the accident occurred during the third flight. Although the amount of fuel onboard would have likely been adequate for three of the operator's 20-minute average flights, several flight delays occurred, and the airplane was flown a total of 2.1 hours between the three flights. Given the airplane's average fuel consumption, the fuel consumed during the three flights closely corresponded to the fuel available at the beginning of the day. Therefore, 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 approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,020 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKH Oak Harbor WA at 2:35 am
- Destination: OKH Oak Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from NUW, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.