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Atlas / NTSB / LAX90LA222

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX90LA222

1990-05-17 FRESNO, California, United States Airport · FAT Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N3709D

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 182A

Year of manufacture

1957 · 33 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19570610

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A43762

Registrant of record

ABIDANCE INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO FRESNO TOWER FROM APPROACH CONTROL, AND HE HAD BEEN REQUESTED TO EXTEND HIS DOWNWIND TO LAND BEHIND A CESSNA CONQUEST. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE STATED 'I JUST RAN OUT OF FUEL. DON'T THINK I CAN MAKE THE RUNWAY.' THE PILOT STATED HE HAD 4 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD FOR THE 3.5 HOUR TRIP. HE ALSO STATED HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR FRESNO, BUT DID NOT USE A MEASURING DEVICE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90LA222.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.