WPR23LA162

Factual narrative

On April 19, 2023, about 1400 mountain standard time, a Cessna R182 airplane, N4166C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. The pilot initially reported that during the flight the airplane’s fuel gauges were not reading correctly and that he decided he was going to land at Valle Airport (40G), Grand Canyon, Arizona, for fuel. During the final approach for runway 1 at 40G, he applied carburetor heat and the engine sputtered. The pilot aborted the landing and attempted to go around because of the wind. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground during the go-around. In a follow-up interview, the pilot reported that the airplane was recently purchased and that he was flying the airplane to the St. Louis, Missouri, area. He said that there were no refueling services at his departure airport and that the left tank was about 3/4 full, and the right tank was 7/8 full before departing. He had planned to refuel at an unknown airport in western Kansas. About an hour into the flight, the pilot reported that the fuel was only being drawn from the left tank so he decided to conduct a precautionary landing to 40G. During the approach, the engine was “acting up” and he decided to add full power to perform a go-around. The engine produced no power, and shortly after the airplane “stalled out” at an unknown altitude. Both wings and the empennage impacted the ground. The airport manager who was onsite shortly after the accident reported that the right wing was on the ground and that both wing tanks were leaking fuel. The wing fuel tank caps were removed for a visual inspection, and the right tank was full to the brim and the left tank was at about a 1/2 tank. The fuel selector was found in the BOTH position. The airplane had total time of 4,784.4 hours. A review of the airplane’s logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was completed on August 1, 2022, about 16.6 hours before the accident. In June of 2003, the engine was removed for a sudden stoppage inspection. The engine was repaired and inspected and reinstalled in November of 2003. The engine had 419.3 hours of operation since being reinstalled. A postaccident examination revealed no evidence of anomalies with the airplane’s fuel system. The wing fuel tanks were intact and the associated lines and screens were unobstructed. The fuel caps were removed, and the cap seals and cap vent valves were undamaged. The fuel tank vent lines were unobstructed when air pressure was added. The fuel selector valve was tested and was found to operate normally in all detent positions. A small amount of fuel was found in the fuel strainer and was uncontaminated. The fuel strainer bowl and screen were free of contaminants. The examination of the engine and its components revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The induction system had no signs of induction leaks or obstructions. The exhaust flame cones were found to be intact and there were no signs of obstructions in the exhaust system. The carburetor was removed from the engine and sent to the manufacturer for a fuel flow evaluation and examination. The carburetor’s fuel flow performance was within acceptable limits at various power settings. The airplane was operating in conditions not conducive to carburetor icing at any power. The pilot was on a cross-country flight when, about an hour into the flight, he noticed that the fuel was only being drawn from the left tank. He decided to conduct a precautionary landing at an en route airport. During the approach, the engine was “acting up” and he decided to add full power to perform a go-around. The engine then lost power, the airplane stalled, and both wings and the empennage impacted the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s fuel system and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice. The cause of the inaccurate draining of the right wing fuel tank and the loss of power could not be determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action sequence-Pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-(general)-Unknown/Not determined
• — Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine (reciprocating)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot