Flight and Descent
The pilot had been conducting parachute drop operations throughout the day. She departed on the last parachute drop flight at an undetermined time, completed the parachute drop, and descended with power on. During the descent, the pilot did not apply carburetor heat because the carburetor heat control cable was stuck and had not moved for the previous two days.
Approach and Power Loss
After entering the traffic pattern for Runway 13 on a right base leg, the pilot completed the before landing check. She turned final at 500 feet, and the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot checked the magnetos to ensure they were in the "both" position, established a glide, and verified the fuel selector valve was in the "both" position. Realizing she could not reach the runway, she made a forced landing adjacent to the airport.
Collision and Damage
The airplane collided with the tops of 60-foot trees, causing the nose to pitch down. It then struck the ground in a left-wing-low, nose-down attitude. Structural damage occurred to both wings and the empennage.
Carburetor Heat System and Maintenance
The pilot informed the FAA that she had performed maintenance on the carburetor heat control cable by applying a silicone coating. The cable worked for about two days before becoming stuck again. The pilot does not hold a mechanic certificate with ratings for airframe and powerplant. No entry was made in the airplane logbook regarding this maintenance.
Weather and Icing Conditions
The nearest weather reporting system was Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville, Florida, located 17 nautical miles to the southwest. The temperature was 88°F and the dew point was 61°F. The field elevation at the destination airport is 24 feet. A review of the icing probability chart indicated that the airplane would encounter serious icing conditions at glide power.
Manual Guidance
The Cessna Skylane and 182 Owner's Manual states, "During climb, watch the engine for any sign of icing—roughness or loss of manifold pressure. Remember, icing will not produce a drop in rpm after you have set up climb power, since the propeller will change pitch to compensate for the power loss. If the engine begins to ice, apply full carburetor heat at once." The Cessna Operating Check List, page 2-5, states under "LET-DOWN": "Apply sufficient carburetor heat to prevent icing, if icing conditions exist."
Fuel Supplement
The FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual Supplement for the airplane (STC No. SA01944CH, issued March 2, 2004) for the use of unleaded automotive gasoline or 82 UL avgas states on page 18: "Carburetor Ice: When using unleaded automotive gasoline, the onset of carburetor ice may occur earlier under the same atmospheric conditions when using 80/87 minimum grade aviation gasoline. There is no change in the techniques for recognizing and correcting for carburetor ice."