Accident Overview
On September 3, 2021, at about 1200 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182D airplane, registration N9114W, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Delta, Colorado. The pilot reported no injuries. The airplane was operated by Ultimate Skydiving Adventures, LLC, based at Blake Field Airport (AJZ), Delta, Colorado, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 commercial skydiving flight.
Flight Sequence
The pilot was conducting the 8th flight of the day. The airplane had been refueled with 15 gallons of fuel after the first four flights. To set up for the jump run at 14,000 ft msl, the pilot applied partial carburetor heat, closed the cowl flaps, reduced power to 15 inches of manifold pressure, and set the RPM for 2,200. After all skydivers egressed, she applied full carburetor heat and pulled the throttle back. The airplane descended at 120 mph, and the pilot performed a wide arc to set up for a long final approach, as was her normal practice. At about 8,000 ft msl, she initiated a turn onto final and began to apply a little power. She noted that the power application sounded abnormal. As she completed the turn onto final around 7,000 ft msl, she applied full power and received no response from the engine. She established an 80-mph glide, pushed the mixture to full rich, and the propeller full in. She manipulated the throttle and moved the carburetor heat control in and out, resulting in only a tiny sputter. Determining she could not make it back to AJZ due to the total loss of engine power, she located a flat, open hay field and performed a forced landing. During the landing roll on soft, wet mud, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot was able to egress without further incident.
Postaccident Examination
The airplane remained inverted in the field for a week before recovery. During recovery, one quart of fuel was recovered from the airplane. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings, but both fuel tanks were found intact. For this airplane model, fuel can drain out through the left wing fuel tank vent tube (the only vent tube on this model) if the airplane remains inverted for an extended period. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident engine run was conducted with no anomalies noted.
Meteorological Conditions
A review of meteorological data indicated that at the time of the accident, the airplane was likely operating in conditions conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing for glide power settings.
Reference Documents
The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Parachute Association have published an educational document, Flying For Skydive Operations P-8740-62, which advises pilots to use carburetor heat during descent and to keep the aircraft in a position to glide to the airport if necessary. Textron Aviation’s Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements provide guidance on fuel system management, noting that fuel may move away from the tank outlet in certain maneuvers, potentially causing a temporary loss of power.