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WPR10CA348

2010-06-26 · Moreno Valley, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

N8118A has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CIRRUS DESIGN SR20), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that as he entered the vicinity of his destination airport, he decided the reduced visibility prohibited him from safely continuing. He opted to divert to an alternate airport to maintain visual conditions. While en route to the alternate airport, the fuel supply was exhausted and the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot initiated a forced landing into a field. The airplane collided with terrain during the landing, damaging the firewall. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine. He further stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had a larger fuel reserve. The pilot reported that as he entered the vicinity of his destination airport, he decided the reduced visibility prohibited him from safely continuing. He opted to divert to an alternate airport to maintain visual conditions. While en route to the alternate airport, the fuel supply was exhausted and the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot initiated a forced landing into a field. The airplane collided with terrain during the landing, damaging the firewall. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine. He further stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had a larger fuel reserve. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on operation
  • C Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_WPR10CA348.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel exhaustion). All research papers