NTSB FTW85LA097 — 1985-01-17 · WICHITA FALLS, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N5162D

Make / Model: CESSNA 182A
Year of manufacture: 1958 · 27 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19580925
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A67A5B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N5162D Cessna 182A Minor

Factual narrative

PLT INTENTIONALLY RAN THE RT FUEL TANK EMPTY AND SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK WHICH WAS 1/2 TO 3/4 FULL ON TAKEOFF. PLT MAINTAINED A LEFT SIDE SLIP DURING THE LANDING APCH TO COMPENSATE FOR X-WIND CONDITIONS. PLT STATED, AT 400 FT AGL HE NOTICED A PWR LOSS. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RWY, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD. PERSONS KNOWLEDGABLE OF THIS ACFT STATED THE ENG WILL QUIT IF THE FUEL TANK WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE DIRECTION OF THE SIDE SLIP IS NOT FULL. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE OCCURS DUE TO THE FUEL TANK OUTLET LINE BECOMING UNPORTED THUS ALLOWING AIR TO ENTER THE FUEL SYSTEM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_FTW85LA097.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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