Cessna 182Q accident near St Ignatius, Montana, October 24, 2021
On October 24, 2021 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 182Q, registered N25WX, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near St Ignatius, Montana (St Ignatius airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 24, 2021 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- St Ignatius, Montana · St Ignatius · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q, built 1978 · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N25WX · no longer on the register · serial 18266453
- 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, while enroute for the return flight home, the engine lost power. He maneuvered the airplane to a nearby airport for an emergency landing. The airplane landed short of the runway, impacted a fence, and came to rest in an irrigation ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot stated that he relied on the fuel flow monitor gauge to determine fuel level and that the gauge was indicating that he had 15 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of the loss of engine power. He further reported that the gauge apparently was not properly reset for the fuel level after coming out of recent maintenance or during his first flight following that maintenance and that the actual fuel quantity was less than expected for the accident flight. He stated that there was a 15-gallon discrepancy and that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,217 hours in all; 247 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,217 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2021; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D (piston); 517 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S0 Ronan MT at 4:45 pm
- Destination: KMSO Missoula MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 2,610 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KMSO, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMSO 241753Z 14010KT 10SM CLR 08/03 A2962 RMK AO2 SLP039 T00780033 10083 21006 58023
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 21, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | 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.
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.