FTW98LA026

The CFI was monitoring the private pilot during practice of unusual attitude recovery maneuvers. During the set up for a maneuver, a power reduction was made from climb power to nearly idle. As the throttle was added to full power, the engine lost power and did not respond. Several attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The instructor pilot monitored the descent as the private pilot tried to set up for a forced landing to a road. When the intended landing point was overshot, the CFI took control of the airplane, maneuvered between several trees, and set the aircraft down hard in a pasture. Disassembly of the carburetor revealed that the float attachment bracket was found detached and separated from the carburetor bowl assembly. Aircraft records showed that a carburetor float kit had been installed on May 7, 1996. Tap screws were used to attach the float attachment brackets to the carburetor bowl, thus stripping out the holes for the attachment brackets. Manufacturer's installation instructions outlined that set screws should have been used on the attachment brackets. Also, what appeared to be glue residue was found on the threads of the tap screws.

On October 19, 1997, approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 182P airplane, N10DG, owned by a private individual, and operated by Skyline Aviation, of Arcola, Texas, was substantially damaged, during a forced landing following a loss of engine power, about 4 miles west of Thompsons, Texas. Both occupants, the certified flight instructor and a private pilot who was receiving instruction, were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The flight had originated from the Houston-Southwest Airport, Houston, Texas, at 1740.

After about 50 minutes of uneventful flight, the flight instructor was monitoring the private pilot during a practice unusual attitude recovery maneuvers. During the set up for the maneuver, a power reduction was made from "climb" power to nearly "idle." As the throttle was again added to full power, the engine lost power and "did not respond." Several attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The instructor pilot monitored the descent as the private pilot tried to set up for a forced landing to a road. When it became evident that the private pilot had overshot the landing point, the instructor assumed control of the airplane, maneuvered between several trees, and set the aircraft down "hard" in an open pasture. During the landing, the nose gear completely separated from the aircraft, the propeller struck the ground and the engine firewall buckled.

An attempt to run the engine after the accident revealed that the carburetor was flooding during start attempts. Disassembly of the carburetor by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that the float attachment bracket was detached and separated from the carburetor bowl assembly. Aircraft records indicated that a carburetor float kit had been installed by Aviation Professionals Inc., Carlsbad, New Mexico, on May 7, 1996. Further inspection of the carburetor revealed that "tap screws" were used to attach the float attachment brackets to the carburetor bowl, thus stripping out the holes for the attachment brackets. As per the manufacturer's installation instructions, "set screws" should have been used on the attachment brackets. Also, what appeared to be "blue lock-tite", was found on the threads of the tap screws. The last log book entry for carburetor work was by Aviation Professionals Inc. on May 7, 1996.