CESSNA 182A

Full Narrative

On June 23, 2024, about 1942 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182A airplane, N4059D, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Spokane Valley, Washington. The pilot and 3 passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported he had planned a 3-hour cross-country flight and calculated a fuel consumption rate of 12.5 gallons per hour, for an estimated total fuel consumption of 37.5 gallons. The pilot stated that he estimated the tanks to be more than three-quarters full prior to departure from his origination airport. The pilot landed at Moose Creek United States Forest Service (USFS) Airport (1U1), Moose Creek Ranger Station, Idaho. Before departing on the return flight, he conducted a walkaround inspection of the airplane but did not confirm the airplane’s fuel quantity.
During the return flight, the pilot observed both fuel gauge indications to be low. About 5 miles from the destination, the engine began to sputter. After climbing to gain altitude, the engine lost total power.
The pilot was unable to reach the destination runway and performed a forced landing in a school playground. The airplane landed hard, which collapsed the right main and nose landing gear and resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Wreckage recovery personnel reported that they did not observe or recover any fuel residue in the wreckage or detect any odor of fuel at the accident site. They did not observe any noticeable discoloration of the surrounding vegetation.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with the airplane before the accident. The pilot later reported that the airplane “suffered from fuel starvation” due to increased fuel consumption as a result of high gross weight, high temperatures, and stronger than expected headwinds during the flight. He estimated that his fuel consumption rate was likely around 15 gallons per hour.
According to the airplane manufacturer, the accident airplane’s total fuel capacity was 65 gallons, of which 55 gallons was usable.