- Date
- October 31, 2003, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5127DCessna 182A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031031035489A
- Case key
- 58282
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's delayed use of carburetor heat and his inadequate flare resulting in a loss of engine power and a hard landing. Also causal was the inadequate supervision of the flight. Carburetor icing conditions was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
In the pattern for runway 22, the instructor pulled the throttle to idle and applied the carburetor heat to simulate an engine failure. The student established an airspeed of 75 mph and turned towards the runway. Approximately 100 feet agl, the airplane encountered "a heavy sink rate." The instructor stated that the stall horn did not sound and the bank angle was shallow. The student added power "rapidly"; however, the engine did not respond. The airplane struck the runway on the main gear. It bounced and struck the runway again, separating the nose gear, sending the airplane skidding on its nose. A postimpact fire ensued, consuming the fuselage.Temperature was 62 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and dew point was 32 degrees F. According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dew point were right on the edge of serious icing conditions at glide power.
Factual narrative
On October 31, 2003, at approximately 1600 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182A, N5127D, was destroyed following a hard landing and postimpact fire at Double Eagle II Airport (AEG), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial certificated instructor and student pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated approximately 1500.
According the report submitted by the flight instructor, they had been practicing soft and short field landings on runway 17. There was no traffic at the airport so they switched to runway 22 for a better crosswind component. At midfield on the right downwind, at an altitude of 6,800 feet msl, the instructor pulled the throttle to idle and applied carburetor heat to simulate an engine failure. The student established an airspeed of 75 mph and turned towards the runway.
Approximately 100 feet agl, the airplane encountered "a heavy sink rate." The instructor stated that the stall horn did not sound and the bank angle was shallow. The student added power "rapidly"; however, the engine did not respond. The airplane struck the runway on the main gear. It bounced and struck the runway again, separating the nose gear. The airplane continued forward with its nose skidding on the runway. A postimpact fire ensued, consuming the fuselage.
According to the METAR (aviation routine weather report) taken at 1610, winds, 170 degrees at 15 knots, gusting 22 knots; visibility, 8 statute miles; sky condition, scattered 9,000 feet agl; temperature, 62 degrees Fahrenheit (F); dew point, 32 degrees F; altimeter setting, 30.02 inches. According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dew point were right on the edge of serious icing conditions at glide power.
An examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded it from developing power. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5127D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 51227
- Airframe hours
- 2,596
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 17, 2003 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- AEG · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- NM
- Airport
- AEG · Double Eagle II, runway 22, 7,400 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 5, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,238 total · 484 in this make and model · 3,024 as pilot in command · 121 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 136 total · 79 in this make and model · 49 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- AEG, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.