# Accident 20150801012869A: Cessna R182, Watertown, WI, August 1, 2015 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 1, 2015, 16:48 local time - Place: Watertown, WI - Airport: Watertown Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other, Specify - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.1658° N, 88.7194° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1658&lon=-88.7194&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1685R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1685R-2018-02-28) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna R182 (registry code 2072734, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r182) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA R182 - Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,950 total, 3 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA333) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150801012869A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING IN THE PATTERN ON A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 29 AT THE WATERTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KRYV) WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS, AND IMPACTED THE TREES 1.2 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY INTERSECTION. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP WAS VFR, CLEAR WITH 10 MILES OF VISIBILITY AND WINDS 310@6 KTS. THE MISHAP PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT, AND HE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY TO HIS BACK. INVESTIGATION ON SCENE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS FUEL ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED BY DAMAGE CAUSED DURING IMPACT, AND THE LEFT WING WAS POSITIONED VERTICALLY WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE BOTH POSITION, ALLOWING FUEL TO DRAIN VIA GRAVITY INTO THE DAMAGED WING. SIGNIFICANT FUEL WAS FOUND UNDER THE AIRCRAFT IN THE SANDY SOIL. FOLLOWING THE AIRCRAFT?S PREVIOUS FLIGHT THE FBO VERIFIED 19.8 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE PUT ON BOARD. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED ON SCENE. THE ELT WAS INSTALLED, BUT WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY THE FIRST RESPONDERS. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR SCARRING ON THE PROPELLER, CONFIRMING THE MISHAP PILOT?S ASSERTION THAT HE LOST POWER. THE STARTER BENDIX WAS ENGAGED, INDICATING NOT ONLY AN ATTEMPT AT RESTART, BUT A SLOW ENOUGH AIRSPEED FOR THE PROP NOT TO BE WINDMILLING. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WAS ON. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, BUT HAD BEEN MOVED THERE BY FIRST RESPONDERS. SCARRING ON THE GROUND AND SURROUNDING VEGETATION INDICATED A STEEP DESCENT ANGLE AND RELATIVELY LOW AIRSPEED, AND WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRCRAFT HAVING IMPACTED IN A STALLED CONDITION. FOLLOWING RELOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT TO THE WATERTOWN AIRPORT, AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE, AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY. THE MISHAP PILOT HAD A HABIT OF SWITCHING TANKS TO KEEP THE FUEL LEVELS BALANCED, EVEN THOUGH THE FUEL SYSTEM IS NORMALLY OPERATED IN "BOTH". HE WAS ENGAGED IN THIS ACTIVITY DURING THE MISHAP FLIGHT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN15LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA333), Aug 1, 2015: Cessna 182 (N1685R), Watertown, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. ## Other reports on N1685R (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20101205052189I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101205052189I), Dec 5, 2010: Cessna R182 (N1685R), Watertown, WI, Minor damage. Immediately after touchdown, aircraft veered left and departed the runway. Pilot stated that he tried to correct with right pedal but could not. Suspect ice in… - [Incident 19850425020079I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850425020079I), Apr 25, 1985: Cessna R182 (N1685R), Sarasota, FL, Minor damage. Pilot was conducting local test flight and failed to extend gear for landing. - [Incident 19790617022099I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790617022099I), Jun 17, 1979: Cessna R182 (N1685R), Cahokia, IL, Minor damage. Pilot landed hard porpoised, damaged nose gear and prop. 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.