# NTSB CEN23LA049: Cessna 182A, N3886D, Durango, CO, November 24, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 24, 2022, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Durango, CO · 6 miles SW of DRO - Coordinates: 37.112663, -107.82161 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1127&lon=-107.8216&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 106367 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA049 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106367/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106367 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA049 ## Probable cause A complete loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was flying with a friend in the local area and was returning to the departure airport when the accident occurred. He was operating the airplane with the fuel selector in the “BOTH” position. When the pilot made a turn with about 30° of bank, the engine began to “cut out.” The pilot stated that he leveled the wings and that the engine started to regain power just before it “sputtered and died.” The pilot immediately established the airplane’s best glide airspeed and selected a field for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted multiple trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The left and right fuel tanks had about 8 to 10 gallons of fuel per side. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed fuel in the gascolator, with no visible contamination, and no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather conditions at the time of the accident showed no probability for carburetor icing. Thus, on the basis of the available evidence for this accident investigation, the cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On November 24, 2022, about 1000 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182A airplane, N3886D, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Durango, Colorado. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he was flying with a friend in the local area and was returning to Durango when the accident occurred. He operated the airplane with the fuel selector in the “BOTH” position. When the pilot made a turn with about 30° of bank, the engine began to “cut out.” The pilot stated that he leveled the wings and that the engine started to regain power just before it “sputtered and died.” The pilot immediately established the airplane’s best glide airspeed and selected a field for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted multiple trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. During recovery of the airplane the pilot drained both the left and right fuel tanks, which yielded about 8 to 10 gallons of fuel per side. The wings were then removed from the airplane to facilitate transport of the wreckage to the pilot’s shop, where the National Transportation Safety Board performed a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine. The examination revealed fuel in the gascolator, with no visible contamination, and no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather conditions at the time of the accident showed no probability for carburetor icing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3886D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3886D), registered now, S/N 34586, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A - Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34586 - Year built: 1957 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KDRO, Durango, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 29, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 472 total, 442 in this make and model, 472 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 9 °F - Observed at: KDRO - METAR: KDRO 241653Z AUTO 01005KT 10SM CLR 04/M13 3024 RMK AO2 SLP248 T00441128 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20221124023009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221124023009A), Nov 24, 2022: Cessna 182A, Durango, CO, Substantial damage. Our office was notified on November 24, 2022 of an accident that occurred on November 24, 2022 at about 10:00 local time, of [privacy data omitted] that was… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106367. 41.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453113&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's interview (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453557&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Interview-Rel.pdf - Examination summary (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 144 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453224&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing probability (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453311&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Chart-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 38.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453615&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453321&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.