Cessna 182 N1462M

Summary

On 18 December 2010 at about 14:15 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N1462M was involved in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 December 2010 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

West Milford, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Greenwood Lake, West Milford (4N1)

Coordinates

41.1236, -74.3411

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N1462M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Milford → Milford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA093

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat while taking off in weather conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on January 21, 2014. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot conducted a preflight inspection that included procedures to ensure removal of accumulated water before flight. Due to the cold temperature, the pilot requested an engine pre-heat service, which was applied for an estimated 15 minutes. There were no abnormalities during the engine start, taxi, and engine run-up before takeoff. During the takeoff climb, the pilot reduced power to the cruise/climb setting. At an altitude of about 1,500 feet above ground level, the engine sustained a partial loss of power; the pilot then applied carburetor heat and elected to return to the departure airport. While returning to the airport, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall, impacting the ground adjacent the runway. A postaccident examination did not reveal any discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane or its systems. A postaccident examination revealed a chunk of ice with debris frozen in the gascolator fuel bowl; however, the ice chunk was not large enough to block the fuel flow to the engine. Further examination revealed no water in the carburetor. The closest official weather observation station, about 14 miles west of the accident site, reported the temperature as 4 degrees Celsius (C) and the dew point as minus 1 degrees C about 35 minutes after the accident. Based on the ambient temperature and the dew point, serious carburetor icing conditions were possible at cruise power. The airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), in the cold weather operation section, states that "appropriate use of carburetor heat is recommended . . . . Full carburetor heat may be required for temperatures below -12 [degrees] C whereas partial heat could be used in temperatures between -12 [degrees] C and 4 [degrees] C . . . . Use the minimum carburetor heat required for smooth operation in take-off, climb, and cruise." The investigation determined that the pilot's application of carburetor heat was not consistent with guidance in the POH, and carburetor icing developed because of the pilot's delay in applying carburetor heat.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.