# Incident 20200117003609I: Cessna 182A, Bakersfield, CA, January 17, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 2020, 23:50 local time
- Place: Bakersfield, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.3733° N, 119.0187° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bakersfield, CA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3733&lon=-119.0187&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2078G, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2078G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182A (registry code 2072704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A
- Reported engine: CONTINENTAL O-470
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,401 total, 39 in this make and model, 165 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200117003609I

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 17, 2020, THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT (PRIVATE PILOT & AIRCRAFT OWNER) WERE CONDUCTING AN IFR TRAINING FLIGHT FROM VICTORVILLE (KVCV) TO BAKERSFIELD MUNICIPAL (KBFL). AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BY THE CFI. THE CFI STATED THAT THEIR ENTIRE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AT 10,000 FEET MSL. THE PILOTS DESCENDED TO 9,000 FEET MSL SHORTLY BEFORE STARTING THEIR FINAL DECENT TO INTERCEPT THE GLIDESLOPE. AT APPROXIMATELY 25NM FROM KBFL, THEY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND STARTED THEIR DECENT FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 30R. THEIR INTENTION WAS TO INTERCEPT THE GLIDESLOPE AT 2,500 FEET. AFTER DESCENDING FROM 9,000 FEET AND APPROACHING JUPEX AT APPROXIMATELY 2,500 FEET, THE STUDENT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO ARREST THEIR DECENT. BOTH PILOTS NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RESPONSE WAS SLUGGISH AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM. THE INDICATIONS THEY RECEIVED WERE INDICATIVE OF CARBURETOR ICING AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST IDLE POWER. AFTER REPEATED UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER, THEY STARTED LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE LANDING SITE. THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED STUDENT WAS CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED SAFELY ON FELIZ DR. IN BAKERSFIELD. ONLY MINOR DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT WHEN ONE WINGTIP CONTACTED A UTILITY POLE DURING ROLL-OUT, TEARING OUT THE NAV LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND DENTING THE WINGTIP. BOTH PILOTS WERE UNINJURED. AFTER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE STUDENT PHYSICALLY INSPECTED THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE TANKS. HE REPORTED THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16 GALLONS REMAINING.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND A TEST RUN WAS PERFORMED. ALL ENGINE PARAMETERS WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL DURING THE TEST RUN. DUE TO THE LACK EVIDENCE TO SHOW OTHERWISE, THE AIRCRAFT OWNER AND MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF POWER TO CARBURETOR ICING.

IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FINAL DECENT FROM 9,000 FEET, THEY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE POWER. THE THROTTLE REMAINED AT IDLE POWER DURING THE ENTIRE DECENT CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES.

ON THE NIGHT OF THE INCIDENT, THE LOCAL WEATHER WAS FAVORABLE FOR CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.

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.

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