- Date
- February 20, 2009, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Caldwell, ID
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4729DCessna 182
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090220000969A
- Case key
- 73373
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 loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat before reducing power and his failure to clear the engine during a prolonged glide.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after a 1.5-hour pleasure flight, he entered the traffic pattern for landing. He reduced power to idle and applied carburetor heat. He turned onto the base leg and then onto final approach. The pilot noted the airplane was too low and attempted to add power, but there was no response from the engine. The airplane touched down short of the runway, impacted the airport's chain link perimeter fence, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he was in a glide with the power at idle for about 30 seconds and that he did not clear the engine during the glide. The reported temperature and dew point at the airport were 3 and -2 degrees Celsius, respectively. Plotting these values on a carburetor icing chart indicated the airplane was operating in conditions conductive to serious icing at descent power.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a 1.5-hour pleasure flight, he entered the traffic pattern for landing. He reduced power to idle and applied carburetor heat. He turned onto the base leg and then onto final approach. The pilot noted the airplane was too low and attempted to add power, but there was no response from the engine. The airplane touched down short of the runway, impacted the airport's chain link perimeter fence, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he was in a glide with the power at idle for about 30 seconds and that he did not clear the engine during the glide. The reported temperature and dew point at the airport were 3 and -2 degrees Celsius, respectively. Plotting these values on a carburetor icing chart indicated the airplane was operating in conditions conductive to serious icing at descent power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4729D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34829
- Airframe hours
- 3,334
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 27, 2009
- Departed
- EUL · Caldwell, ID
- Destination
- EUL · Caldwell, ID
- Airport
- EUL · Caldwell Industrial Airport, runway 12, 5,500 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 15, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 334 total · 207 in this make and model · 23 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- EUL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.