Accident Overview
On May 4, 2008, about 2100 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182H single-engine airplane, registration N6320B, experienced a loss of engine power and subsequently conducted a forced landing near Prescott, Arizona. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were not injured, but the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated from Minden, Nevada, at 1650, with an intended destination of Prescott.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported departing Redding, California, at 1420. During the flight, he encountered thunderstorms in the northern Sierra Mountains, flew back north to avoid them, and then landed at Minden. There, he topped off both wing fuel tanks and noted 5-7 gallons of fuel in the back reserve tank. While cruising at 9,500 feet msl, the pilot observed a headwind of about 25 knots.
Approximately 20 miles from Ernst A. Love Field Airport in Prescott, the pilot contacted the air traffic control tower and obtained a beacon code. About 4 minutes later, the engine lost power. The pilot verified the fuel selector valve was set to both, applied full rich mixture, and advanced the propeller control full forward. Despite these efforts, the engine did not restart.
Emergency Response
The pilot informed the tower that he might not reach the airport and initiated a forced landing to a black unlit area he believed was open. The airplane struck the ground in a nose-low attitude.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the aircraft and found the fuselage buckled and both wings structurally damaged. During recovery, personnel drained 15 gallons of 100-low lead aviation fuel from the right wing fuel tank. No fuel was removed from the left wing fuel tank. The inspector removed the top spark plugs and noted all six had white electrode areas, indicating a lean mixture. At a follow-up examination, the left wing tank was fueled with 6 of the 15 gallons from the right tank. The engine started and ran for 10 minutes across a wide range of power settings with the fuel selector on left and both settings.
Probable Cause
The accident investigation source does not state a probable cause.