On May 13, 2013, about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182E, N817JT, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain after performing a precautionary landing at Cannizzaro Field Airport (28MA), Southwick, Massachusetts. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed from Newport State Airport (UUU), Newport, Rhode Island, about 1130 and was destined to Columbia County Airport (1B1), Hudson, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight at 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine started running rough. He enriched the fuel mixture and applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to run rough. The pilot then switched the fuel selector from the "BOTH" position to the left tank position, and the engine started to run smoothly for a short period of time. Within a few moments, the engine started running rough again. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the right tank, then back to "BOTH," and the engine continued to run rough. He then decided to perform a precautionary landing at 28MA. The pilot reported he didn't have the time or altitude to land into the wind so he landed half way down runway 03. The airplane departed the left side of the grass runway, crossed a dirt road, and impacted the raised edge of the road, breaking off the nose landing gear. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The pilot reported he departed UUU with about 22 gallons of fuel on board. He stated that he checked the sumps of the fuel tanks before the flight and also checked the fuel level with a fuel level indicator.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the engine and found no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Compression was noted in all six cylinders. The fuel line was checked for security at the carburetor. All six spark plugs displayed coloration consistent with a normal running engine. The fuel gascolator was less than half full. The fuel sumps were checked and no fuel was found at either sump. The firewall in the area of the nose gear mount exhibited impact damage.
According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial certificate, with ratings for single and multi-engine airplane. His most recent FAA Class 3 medical certificate was issued on July 7, 2011. As of May 13, 2013, the pilot reported 1,700 total hours of flight experience; of which, 147 of those hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
The four-seat, high-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane, was manufactured in 1962. It was powered by a Lycoming 0-470, 230-horsepower engine. Review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed on February 26, 2012. At the time of inspection, the airplane had accumulated 5,720 total hours in service. The engine was removed for overhaul and reinstalled on February 26, 2012. The engine had accumulated approximately 25 total hours of operation since major overhaul and annual inspection. Based on maintenance records, the airplane did not have a current annual inspection as required by 91.409(a)(1).
The 1151 recorded weather at Bradley International Airport (BDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut, 10 miles southeast of the accident site included wind from 300 degrees at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, sky broken at 5,500 feet, temperature 11 degrees C, dew point minus 4 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury.
28MA is a private, non-towered airport that operates under class G airspace. The reported field elevation for the airport is 250 feet msl. The airport is equipped with one grass runway. Runway 3/21 is 1,600 feet in length and 50-feet wide. Just beyond the end of runway 03 there is a dirt road that runs perpendicular to the runway.