Cessna 182J N3348F

Summary

On 12 September 1999 at about 13:45 local time, a Cessna 182J registered N3348F was involved in an accident near Klamath, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 September 1999 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Klamath, California, United States

Nearest airport

Andy McBeth (S51)

Coordinates

41.5897, -124.0591

Aircraft

Cessna 182J

Registration

N3348F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Napa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

LAX99LA305

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to icing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot received a weather briefing from FSS the evening before departure and a friend at the destination told him that the area had been free of fog for the last several days. Upon descent to 1,500 feet at the destination, he could not spot the airport due to a fog layer. He decided to divert to his alternate. After turning toward the alternate airport, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot was unable to remedy the power loss by applying carburetor heat, switching fuel tanks, leaning the mixture, and checking the magnetos in the both position. As he turned back toward his original destination airport, the engine continued to run rough and he was unable to arrest the airplane's descent. He was just above the fog layer, saw the runway through the fog, and turned back to the runway. During the turn, he went into the fog and the airplane collided with treetops and lodged in branches. The occupants noticed fire in the floorboard area, exited through the pilot's door, and jumped to the ground. The fuselage was consumed by fire. Witnesses on the ground heard the airplane circle the area twice at a low altitude, but did not hear any change of engine sound. The temperature/dew point was in an area of a carburetor icing probability chart annotated, 'serious carburetor icing with cruise or climb power.' The FAA publication, 'Tips on Winter Flying,' recommends that carburetor heat be applied prior to reducing power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.