# NTSB FTW96LA122: Cessna 182P, N9901M, New Orleans, LA, February 17, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 16, 1996, 18:15 local (Feb 17, 1996, 00:15 UTC) - Place: New Orleans, LA - Coordinates: 30.009168, -90.060447 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0092&lon=-90.0604&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 16, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19763 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19763/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA122 ## Probable cause The pilot not following procedures and directives in that he did not periodically clear the engine during an extended glide. The factors were carburetor icing weather conditions and lack of suitable terrain for landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - carburetor heat - selected, pilot in command - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system,carburetor - ice - Forced landing, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - light condition - dusk - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot made a gliding approach to land from 3,500 feet MSL with the power set at 1500 to 1700 RPM and the carburetor heat on. The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that while descending through the first 3,000 feet that he did not clear the engine. The pilot recounted that the RPM began 'falling off', and when he increased the throttle, the RPM did not rise. The pilot performed a forced landing, but due to 'dusky conditions and slight haze', the pilot did not see a levee wall which the right wing impacted while in the landing flare. There was a temperature inversion at the time of the accident, with ground level humidity of 22% and a humidity of 49% at 5,000 feet. The FAA Flight Training Handbook states in the section under 'Descents (Maximum Distance Glides)' that during 'power-off descents, the engine should be cleared periodically to prevent excessive cooling and fouling.' The engine was test run on the airframe. According to the manufacturer, who performed the test run, the engine 'startup was immediate, and the engine ran smoothly.' ## Factual narrative On February 16, 1996, at 1815 central standard time, a Cessna 182P, N9901M, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near New Orleans, Louisiana. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The aircraft was being operated by the owner, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from West Houston Airport near Houston, Texas, at 1545. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight and a flight plan was not filed. The pilot reported that ATC gave him vectors for a visual approach to Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, which is located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The pilot stated that the controller kept him at 3,500 feet MSL until he was handed off to the Lakefront Airport tower controller and he was 6 miles directly south of his landing runway, 36L. The pilot further stated that he told the tower controller that he "needed to spiral down to start (the) approach to 36L," which he did with carburetor heat on and a power setting of 1500 to 1700 RPM. The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that while descending through the first 3,000 feet that he did not clear the engine. The pilot recounted that the RPM began "falling off." The pilot increased the throttle, but with no rise in RPM. The pilot reported that he could not make the runway, so he lined up for a street that "appeared clear and long enough for a safe landing." The pilot reported not seeing a levee wall, due to "dusky conditions and slight haze," until he was in the landing flare. The right wing of the aircraft impacted the wall along the right side of the road, turned the airplane clockwise 90 degrees, and slid along the ground beside the wall until coming to rest. According to the National Weather Service, located at Lakefront Airport, the temperature on the ground at the time of the accident was 44 degrees, dew point was 16 degrees, and the relative humidity was 22 percent. A second National Weather Service facility is located 13 nautical miles north east of Lakefront at Slidell, Louisiana, and 1 hour and 10 minutes before the accident, they launched a weather balloon. The data that they collected indicated that there was a temperature inversion with an accompanying steady increase of humidity of 22% on the ground to 49% humidity at 5,000 feet(see enclosed data). A review of the literature on carburetor icing indicates the unpredictable nature of this phenomenon. One source stated that carburetor ice could manifest from 20 degrees to 90 degrees with "high" humidity. Another source stated that carburetor icing could occur from 10 degrees to 100 degrees with relative humidity greater than 20 percent. Carburetor icing characteristics do vary from airplane to airplane to include the efficiency of the cooling of their carburetion system, the power setting, the phase of flight, the mixture control setting, and the shape of the induction manifold. The U.S. Department of Transportation FAA Flight Training Handbook states in the section under "Descents (Maximum Distance Glides)" that during "power-off descents, the engine should be cleared periodically to prevent excessive cooling and fouling." The engine manufacturer, in one of their Operator's Manuals, states that "carburetor heat is available only at engine outputs well above idle." The Federal Regulations Part 3, which dictates requirements for airworthiness certification, states that an induction de-icing and anti-icing system "provide a preheater which is capable of providing a heat rise of 90 degrees Fahrenheit when the engine is operating at 75 percent of its maximum continuous power." The engine was test run on the airframe. According to the manufacturer, who performed the test run, the engine "start up was immediate, and the engine ran smoothly." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9901M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9901M-2013-03-21), registration cancelled 2013-03-21, S/N 18264797, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182P - Registry model: [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (registry code 2075816) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18264797 - Airframe hours: 4300 - Engines: Continental O-470-S 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Joseph M. Adams - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 9, 1996, 13 hours before - Departed: IWS, HOUSTON, TX - Destination: NEW, LA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 369 total, 76 in this make and model, 328 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 350° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: NEW, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960216047669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960216047669A), Feb 16, 1996: Cessna 182P, Neworleans, LA, Substantial damage. (-16) The engine failed during approach to landing. The engine operated normally during the investigation. Suspect that the pilot inadvertently turned the fuel… 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.