# Incident 19970301008349I: Cessna 182Q, Helena, MT, March 1, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 1, 1997, 10:25 local time
- Place: Helena, MT
- Airport: Helena Regional Airport
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.6067° N, 111.9833° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HELENA RGNL (HLN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6067&lon=-111.9833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N97159, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N97159) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182Q (registry code 2072732, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182Q
- Reported engine: CONT O470U
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970301008349I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON MARCH 1, 1997, AT 1027 MDT, CESSNA 182, N97159, RENTED FROM AURORA, OREGON, WAS DEPARTING HELENA, MONTANA, AND ON DEPARTURE THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE POSITION WITH THE THROTTLE FULL ON. THE PILOT REPORTED THE EMERGENCY TO HELENA CONTROL TOWER AND LANDED IN A WHEAT FIELD 6 MILES EAST OF HELENA AIRPORT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, BY AN A&P INSPECTOR, ICE WAS FOUND IN THE INTAKE BEFORE THE CARBURETOR CAUSING THE ENGINE TO IDLE. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED IN EVERGREEN, WASHINGTON, AND WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS FOR 3 HOURS PRIOR TO REFUELING AT HELENA. WHILE ON THE GROUND THE ICE BEGAN TO MELT AND FALL INTO THE AIR INTAKE. THE PILOT IS A COMMERCIAL PILOT WITH INSTRUMENT RATING. NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED AND THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
