Accident Summary
On May 19, 2017, at approximately 1230 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182P airplane, registration N7352S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anderson, California. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight Information
The pilot reported that before departing from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) in Stockton, California, he measured the fuel at 25 gallons and added another 10 gallons for a total of 35 gallons. He departed SCK around 1130. While about 20 miles from Redding Municipal Airport (RDD) in Redding, California, he obtained weather information and began a slow descent just past Red Bluff, California. When the airplane reached about 2,000 feet mean sea level, the engine sputtered and then lost total power. The pilot checked that the fuel selector was in the "both" position and checked the magnetos before searching for a suitable landing site. During the forced landing, the airplane touched down next to a road, collided with a gully, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The wings and tail were substantially damaged.
Aircraft and Engine Examination
The engine had been overhauled approximately 300 hours before the accident. Examination of the cockpit revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank. During recovery, personnel reported removing about 10 to 13 gallons of fuel from the left-wing fuel tank and about 6 to 8 gallons from the right-wing fuel tank; the vented fuel caps remained in place on their respective wings.
An examination of the engine found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. All separations and breaks were attributed to impact forces. Mechanical and valve train continuity was established by manually rotating the crankshaft. The magnetos were undamaged, and ignition continuity was confirmed when spark was produced at all leads from both magnetos during manual rotation, with an audible snap from the impulse coupling. The spark plugs were removed and, when compared to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug Chart, exhibited a worn-out-to-worn-out normal appearance.
Fuel System Examination
Inspection of the airframe fuel system revealed that the right-wing fuel pick-up finger screen had been repaired and improperly secured with a gray-colored adhesive material. The other finger screens were properly secured into their respective pick-up tubes. The firewall-mounted fuel strainer was drained, and the fuel sample was blue in color, resembling 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The carburetor remained secure at its mounting pad with all control cables secured and continuity of cockpit control cables established. The throttle arm was articulated, and no fuel was expelled from the accelerator pump. The carburetor bowl contained no fuel and was free of contamination. The float assembly was intact and functioned properly when moved manually, although the bracket holding the floats was twisted; it could not be determined if the twist allowed float-to-bowl contact. Each cylinder was inspected with a lighted electronic borescope, and all intake and exhaust valves were intact with normal coloration and combustion signatures.