Cessna 182 N6420A

Summary

On 12 August 2002 at about 20:15 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N6420A was involved in an accident near Bellingham, Washington, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 2002 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Bellingham, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Bellingham International (BLI)

Coordinates

48.7567, -122.5317

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N6420A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chester → Bellingham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA154

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper decision to continue en route in cruise flight when his fuel supply became low, eventually leading to fuel exhaustion while on final approach to the destination airport. Factors include the fact that the final approach course took the aircraft over an open body of water.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot attempted a non-stop flight from Chester, California to Bellingham, Washington. Near the end of the four and one-half hour flight, the aircraft's fuel gauges indicated the fuel supply was nearly depleted, but the pilot thought he would have enough fuel to complete his descent to a landing. Although he was granted a straight-in approach, when the aircraft was approximately four miles from the end of the runway, the engine lost power, and he was forced to ditch in the bay that was underneath the final approach course. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that, except for a small residual amount, both fuel tanks had been run dry.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.