Accident Overview
On August 1, 2015, at approximately 1745 central daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, registration N1685R, experienced a loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern at Watertown Municipal Airport (KRYV), Watertown, Wisconsin. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and was substantially damaged. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that the flight was intended for practice pattern work, including touch-and-go landings, in preparation for a flight review. He reported that the preflight inspection and taxi were uneventful. After departure, while on the base leg, the engine lost power. He advanced the throttle, mixture, and propeller levers fully forward and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, but the engine did not respond. Unable to locate an open area for an emergency landing, he aimed for nearby trees to reduce the descent rate. The pilot reported that the airplane had about 75 gallons of fuel on board.
Aircraft Damage and Examination
Responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors found the airplane resting on its right side near a residence. The empennage had separated from the fuselage, and the right wing and fuselage sustained heavy damage. The left wing's fuel bladder appeared intact but contained no fuel. The right wing's bladder tank was torn and contained about two gallons of fuel. The inspector could not determine the quantity of fuel that may have leaked after the fuel system was compromised. The airplane was recovered, and an engine test run was performed using an external fuel source. The engine started and ran with no abnormalities noted.
Weather Conditions
At 1755, the automated weather observation facility at KRYV recorded a temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The carburetor icing probability chart from FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin No. CE-09-35 indicated that the airplane was operating in conditions associated with a serious risk of carburetor ice accumulation at glide power settings.