Cessna 182 N21545

Summary

On 2 June 2006 at about 22:30 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N21545 was involved in an accident near Chenega Bay, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 June 2006 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Chenega Bay, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.8019, -147.8931

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N21545

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Chenega Bay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA067

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason while maneuvering at low level over a beach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with rough terrain and a nose over. A factor in the accident was the rough/uneven terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot reported that he was looking for potential landing areas near a cabin on a remote island during a cross-country Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He scanned an area at 400 feet above ground level (agl) for about 15 to 20 minutes. The airplane was configured with 20 degrees of flaps, carburetor heat on, and an engine power setting of about 18 to 20 inches of manifold pressure. The outside temperature was 52 degrees F. He spotted the cabin he was looking for, and began a descent for a low-level pass along a beach. The pilot configured the airplane to full flaps, the engine power was near idle, and the carburetor heat was "on." He then attempted to add engine power to level the airplane, but it did not respond. He pushed the throttle in and out several times without any change in power from idle. The airplane continued to descend, and as the wheel began to strike low brush, the engine went to full power, but the airplane touched down in the rough terrain and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the fuselage and wings. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, he indicated that during the flight to the island, the engine developed a slight roughness, accompanied by about a 1 inch drop in manifold pressure. He noted the carburetor temperature gauge was indicating -35 degrees F. He applied carburetor heat, which raised the carburetor heat temperature to about 0 degrees F, but no further. The pilot said he then decreased the engine power to idle, reapplied carburetor heat, and noted that after about 1 minute, the carburetor temperature increased to about 55 degrees F, which resolved the engine roughness. The pilot reported that he previously had a carburetor heat problem about 8 months prior to the accident. After a normal landing at an airport, he applied engine power to takeoff, but the engine would only produce about 14 inches of manifold pressure with the carburetor heat on. After several seconds of idling the engine with full carburetor heat applied, full power was restored. The pilot indicated that the airplane had an annual inspection in February, 2006, and he had flown the airplane for about 120 hours without a repeat of the problem. The airplane was recovered from the island, but the engine was not examined by FAA or NTSB personnel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.