# NTSB LAX01LA126: Cessna 182E, N9277X, Boulder City, NV, March 16, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 16, 2001, 15:05 local (23:05 UTC) - Place: Boulder City, NV - Coordinates: 35.99023, -114.809692 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9902&lon=-114.8097&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 28, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flt Stnds Dist Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 51952 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA126 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51952/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA126 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power during landing descent for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, descent - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The pilot of the skydiver dropping aircraft reported that the engine lost power at the end of his descent from the 12,000-foot drop altitude as the airplane approached a landing 3-mile base leg. When the engine lost power, he checked that the fuel selector was in the "both" tanks position, the mixture was in the "rich" position, and checked individual magnetos; all with no effect. He was then at low altitude and diverted his attention to completing the off-airport landing. A postaccident examination of the aircraft by the operator found about 10 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 5 gallons in the right tank. Examination of the aircraft and engine by the operator's mechanics did not reveal any mechanical anomaly. The cylinder combustion chambers and the electrodes of the engine upper spark plugs were found with a whitish appearance. The operator reported that the pilot had worked for him for 2 weeks. When he was hired, the pilot was given about 10 hours flight training as a jump-plane pilot. The flight on which the accident occurred was the pilot's fourth or fifth unsupervised flight, and required that the jumpers be dropped from 12,000 feel msl. In cases involving high drops, like this, the pilot was taught to descend with the mixture leaned in order to reduce spark plug fouling. The operator reported that he arrived at the accident scene shortly after the police and that no one had tampered with the aircraft. He found the mixture control was "not even half way in." ## Factual narrative On March 16, 2001, at 1505 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182E, N9277X, was substantially damaged during an off-airport emergency landing following loss of engine power at Boulder City, Nevada. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The local area flight had carried skydivers aloft and was returning to land with only the pilot aboard. The flight was operated by Skydive Las Vegas under 14 CFR Part 91, and departed at 1430. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that the engine lost power at the end of his descent from the 12,000-foot drop altitude as the airplane approached a 3-mile left base leg for landing on runway 27L. When the engine lost power, he checked that the fuel selector was in the "both" tanks position, the mixture was in the "rich" position, and checked individual magnetos; all with no effect. He was then at low altitude and diverted his attention to completing the off-airport landing. A postaccident examination of the aircraft by the operator found about 10 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 5 gallons in the right tank. Examination of the aircraft and engine by the operator's mechanics did not reveal any mechanical anomaly. The cylinder combustion chambers and the electrodes of the engine upper spark plugs were found with a whitish appearance. Three of the lower spark plugs were found with lead deposits in proximity of the ceramic insulators. A chart used by the Safety Board showed that the temperature and dew point present were not conducive to formation of carburetor icing. The operator reported that the pilot had worked for him for 2 weeks. When he was hired, the pilot was given about 10 hours of flight training as a jump-plane pilot. The flight on which the accident occurred was the pilot's fourth or fifth unsupervised flight, and required that the jumpers be dropped from 12,000 feel msl. In cases involving high drops, like this, the pilot was taught to descend with the mixture leaned in order to reduce spark plug fouling. The operator reported that he arrived at the accident scene shortly after the police and that no one had tampered with the aircraft. He found the mixture control was "not even half way in." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9277X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9277X-2002-01-18), registration cancelled 2002-01-18, S/N 18253677, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182E - Registry model: [Cessna 182E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182e) (registry code 2072712) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 53677 - Airframe hours: 4783 - Engines: Continental O-470-R 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Skydiving, Part 91 - Operator: Skydive Las Vegas - Registered owner: Desert Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 28, 2001, 21 hours before - Departed: 61B, Boulder City, NV - Airport: 61B, Boulder City Municipal, runway 27L, 4,800 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 10, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 277 total, 200 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: LAS, 16 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 20010316024239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010316024239A), Mar 16, 2001: Cessna 182E, Boulder City, NV, No damage. (-23) After dropping off 3 parachuters, descended fro 8000 ft, ATC vectored pilot to Boulder City airport and released him at 7500 ft. pilot proceeded to… 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.