Accident Overview
On October 15, 2021, at approximately 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q (registration N759AC) sustained substantial damage during an accident near Fire Island, New York. The pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, he was providing an introductory flight for the two passengers around Long Island, New York. He reported departing with 64 gallons of fuel onboard. While cruising at about 1,200 feet mean sea level, the engine began to lose power. The pilot checked the fuel selector, confirming it was in the BOTH position, and verified the mixture control was full forward, but the engine experienced a total loss of power. He applied carburetor heat and attempted to restart the engine twice without success. He then performed a forced landing on a beach near Fire Island National Seashore. The pilot stated the landing on the beach was normal, but during the landing roll, the airplane contacted a hump in the sand, causing the nose landing gear to collapse. This led to the propeller and right wing contacting the ground.
Postaccident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane after the accident. Substantial damage was noted to the right wing. The propeller was rotated by hand through 360 degrees, establishing crankshaft and valvetrain continuity to the rear accessory case. Magneto timing was checked and found within limits. Spark plugs were removed and showed normal wear with proper gap. A compression leak-down test on all cylinders was satisfactory. The airplane's maintenance logbooks could not be located.
Weather Conditions
At 1456, the weather reported at Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (ISP), approximately 9 nautical miles north of the accident site, included a temperature of 25°C and a dew point of 16°C. The calculated relative humidity was 57 percent. According to the carburetor icing probability chart from FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, this temperature and dew point indicated a probability of serious icing at glide power.
Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage, with the right wing notably damaged and the nose landing gear collapsed. The propeller also contacted the ground during the forced landing roll.