Accident Details
On March 31, 2018, at approximately 0815 central daylight time, a Cessna 180 airplane, registration N2485C, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Grove, Oklahoma. The airline transport pilot was not injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no Federal Aviation Administration flight plan had been filed.
The flight departed Circle S Farms Airport (AR91) in Lowell, Arkansas, around 0800, and was en route to Grove Municipal Airport (KGMJ) in Grove, Oklahoma, to purchase fuel. While en route, the engine quit producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a rodeo arena, during which both wings, the empennage, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Investigation
An examination of the airplane, including the engine and fuel system, revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather Conditions
The closest routine aviation weather report, taken at 0815, recorded a temperature of 54°F and a dewpoint temperature of 41°F. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart from the Federal Aviation Administration's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, dated June 30, 2009, indicated that the airplane was operating in an area favorable for the formation of serious carburetor icing at any power setting.