# NTSB WPR25LA175: Cessna 182P, N78720, Hyampom, CA, June 13, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 13, 2025, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Hyampom, CA
- Coordinates: 40.619056, -123.4659 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6191&lon=-123.4659&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 11, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200329
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA175
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200329/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200329
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA175

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and a subsequent impact with terrain during a forced landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md)
- [Power plant: air intake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 50 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot overflew the destination airport at an altitude of about 8,500 ft mean sea level (msl) due to a temporary flight restriction. He then reduced the airplane’s engine power significantly, slowed the airplane’s airspeed, applied 10° of flaps, and initiated a 7,200-ft descent to the airport. While on approach to land, the pilot advanced the throttle but the engine did not respond. Unable to maintain altitude, he initiated a forced landing onto an open field about 900 ft south of the runway. During the landing roll on unimproved terrain, the nose landing gear separated and the airplane came to rest upright in a nose-down attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. During the recovery of the airplane, about 60 gallons of fuel was found remaining in its tanks; a postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An NTSB meteorologist created a High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model sounding for the accident time and location, with the modeled surface elevation at 1,277 ft msl. At an elevation of 7,064 ft msl, the HRRR sounding indicated the temperature was about 6.6°C and the dew point was about -5.9°C, with a relative humidity of 40%. The icing probability chart in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 indicated that the modeled atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to icing at glide [idle] power," and the airplane’s prelanding checklist included applying full carburetor heat before the throttle was closed. However, the pilot stated that he did not use carburetor heat during the descent and approach.

## Factual narrative

On June 13, 2025, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182P, N78720, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hyampom, California. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he arrived over the destination, Hyampom Airport (H47), at a cruise altitude of about 8,500 ft msl after delaying descent due to a temporary flight restriction (TFR). Once clear of the TFR, the pilot reduced the airplane’s engine power significantly, reduced airspeed, applied 10° of flaps, and initiated a 7,200-ft descent to land. He reported that, during the descent, he conducted the prelanding checklist, verified the fuel selector lever was on both, advanced the propeller to full forward, and incrementally advanced the fuel mixture to full forward. The entire descent was conducted at a low power setting with the cowl flaps closed to prevent shock cooling the engine. While on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, he advanced the throttle, with no response. He then applied full throttle, making sure the mixture and propeller levers were full forward. However, he did not apply the engine’s carburetor heat. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot made a forced landing to a gravel sand bar about 900 ft from the runway threshold. The pilot stated that he landed hard and that the nosewheel and strut separated after impacting large rocks, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright about 150 ft from initial touchdown. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. The fuel system was traced from each wing tank to the carburetor through the fuel selector, which rotated normally and was unobstructed. The fuel lines that had not been damaged by impact or removed to transport the airplane were secure. Recovery personnel reported that about 60 gallons of fuel were recovered from the airplane’s fuel tanks. Mechanical continuity of the engine was established throughout the rotating group, valvetrain, and accessory section as the crankshaft was manually rotated at the propeller by hand. Thumb compression was achieved at all six cylinders and the valves displayed normal lift when the crankshaft was rotated. Examination of the cylinders’ combustion chamber interior components using a lighted borescope revealed normal piston face and valve signatures, and no indications of catastrophic engine failure. A High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model sounding created by an NTSB meteorologist for the accident time and location indicated that at an elevation of 7,064 ft msl the temperature was about 6.6°C and the dew point was about -5.9°C, with a relative humidity of 40%. The icing probability chart in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 indicated that the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to icing atglide [idle] power." The pilot stated that he did not use carburetor heat during the descent and approach into H47. According to the “Before Landing” checklist in the accident aircraft Pilot’s Operating Handbook, full carburetor heat should be applied before the throttle is closed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N78720](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78720), registered now, S/N 18261776, built 1973 (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: 18261776
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 4714.7
- Engines: Continental O-470 R25B 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2024, 74 hours before
- Departed: TCY, Tracy, CA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: H47, Hyampom, runway 32, 2,980 × 60 ft, gravel
- Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 27, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 9,500 total, 115 in this make and model, 9,420 as pilot in command, 99 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: KO54, 26 nm away
- METAR: KO54 131755Z AUTO 23009KT 200V260 10SM CLR 22/03 A2992 RMK A01

## 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 20250613017159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250613017159A), Jun 13, 2025: Cessna 182P, Hyampom, CA, Substantial damage. The pilot reported that on June 13, 2025, at 10:30 local time during an attempt to land at the Hyampom Airport (H47), while on the turn from downwind to base…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200329. 3.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18921121&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Record of e-mail correspondence (pilot) (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18921131&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20e-mail%20correspondence%20(Pilot)-Rel.pdf
- POH excerpt (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20197211&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=POH%20Excerpt-Rel.pdf
- Weather hrrr sounding text (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19051409&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20HRRR%20sounding%20text-Rel.pdf
- Airframe and engine exam report (item 5, PDF, 11 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19051776&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA175%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination%20redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA carburetor icing chart (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19050496&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carb%20Ice%20CE-09-35_redacted-Rel.pdf

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.

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