Off Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richfield, Utah 84701
Monday, March 19, 2001 14:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In the pilot stated that there were 38 gallons of fuel on board the airplane prior to a 1 hour and 10 minute flight to an airport with no services. At 1 hour and 20 minutes into the returning flight the engine lost power. He made an emergency landing in a field approximately 3/4 of a mile east of the airport. The airplane hit a berm during the landing roll. The nose landing gear collapsed and was torn off the airplane. The pilot later stated, "I think my reading of the fuel quantity in the site tube was in error. While I was measuring the fuel, I was interrupted, and I think I mentally recorded the wrong amount of fuel, resulting in a fuel starvation accident."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power during cruise as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilots failure to refuel. Contributing factors were the pilots inadequate aircraft preflight and the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City RICHFIELD
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84701
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Off Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID MLF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5039
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 52
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
Density Altitude (feet) 6330
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10236
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1706
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office SALT LAKE CITY, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4918D
NTSB Number DEN01LA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 51018
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80.4
Airframe Hours 4006.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven G Blomquist
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Richfield
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84701
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City NEEDLES OUTPOST
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RIF
Destination City RICHFIELD
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2001 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --