Event Summary
On May 27, 2018, at approximately 1420 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, registration N5700B, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Aberdeen, Idaho. The flight, operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, had two occupants—a pilot and a passenger—neither of whom reported injuries.
Flight Details
According to the pilot, preflight verification indicated 55 gallons of fuel onboard for a planned 3-hour 3-minute flight, with a planned fuel burn of about 12 gallons per hour. During the flight, two minor deviations from the intended flightpath were made due to weather. While passing Aberdeen Airport (U36), the airplane encountered light drizzle and reduced visibility. After continuing for a few minutes at approximately 2,000 ft above ground level, the pilot decided to turn right and divert from the original destination—Blackfoot Airport (U02)—to Burley Municipal Airport (BIY). As the airplane exited the turn, the engine “stuttered” several times and subsequently lost power. The pilot began troubleshooting but could only achieve rough and inconsistent engine operation.
Emergency Landing
Recognizing the inability to reach U36, the pilot set the mixture to idle cutoff, closed the fuel selector valve, and turned off the ignition. He then initiated an emergency landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the main landing gear dug into soft dirt, and the nosewheel struck the ground hard, causing it to collapse. The nose then dug into the dirt, and the airplane nosed over. Notably, the pilot reported that he did not apply carburetor heat during the troubleshooting process.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage. The wings remained attached, and both fuel caps were secured. The left-wing fuel tank was empty; about 1 gallon of fuel was drained from the right-wing tank. Fuel vents were clear. The gascolator contained some debris-free fuel. The fuel selector was found in the "off" position, the primer locked, the propeller lever full forward, the throttle about 3 inches from full forward, the mixture full rich, and the carburetor heat off. The engine was separated from its mounts; the oil sump and exhaust showed impact damage. Rotational continuity was established, and compression was obtained on all six cylinders. Magnetos produced spark in proper order. The carburetor was separated; its throttle and mixture arms actuated freely, but no fuel was expelled from the accelerator pump, and the float bowl was dry. The fuel screen was clear. According to the FAA's carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dew point at the time of power loss were conducive to serious icing at cruise power.