On March 02, 2022, about 0813 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182D, N8814X, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Desert Camp, California. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial survey flight.   According to the pilot, the flight was intended to be a low-altitude geophysical survey flight in the Salton Sea area flying a 200-meter grid pattern under contract with the United States Geological Survey. The pilot reported that after a normal preflight inspection and runup, he departed runway 12 at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM), Palm Springs, California with 55 gallons of fuel aboard. He performed a straight-out departure with the fuel selector in the both position and leveled off at 600 ft above ground level (agl). He reduced power to 20 inches of manifold pressure and maintained 2,300 rpmon the engine tachometer. He leaned the mixture until the fuel flow gauge indicated 10.5 gallons per hour and then switched the fuel selector to the right tank about four miles into the flight.

While flying on a heading of 090° about 600 ft agl, a partial loss of power occurred, which the pilot noted to be about 60 percent of the normal power available. As the airplane descended, he initiated a right turn back to TRM and started troubleshooting. To troubleshoot the partial loss of power he applied a full rich mixture setting, set the propeller to maximum rpm, turned the carburetor heat on, and performed a magneto check. Subsequently, a total loss of power ensued, and he executed a forced landing. During the landing flare, he added 3 notches of flaps and the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down in a three-point attitude on a dry, freshly plowed farm field. About 200 ft into the landing roll, the tail started to “come up” and the airplane nosed over.

The quantity of fuel in the airplane’s fuel tanks or even the presence of fuel at the accident site could not be determined, as the airplane came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The gascolator contained 100LL aviation fuel, and the propeller rotated through when turned by hand. Subsequently, an engine test run was completed with no anomalies or malfunctions noted. The engine was started and idled for several minutes in a maximum pitch propeller configuration, and with the mixture in a rich and lean position. The throttle was advanced to full power and the engine operated up to 2,672 rpm. The fuel selector was removed and examined from handle to valve, which revealed no anomalies, binding, or restriction. The closest weather reporting station was located at the departure airport about 10 miles northwest of the accident site. About 21 minutes prior to the accident, recorded weather conditions included a temperature of 61° F, and the dew point of 28° F. The Carburetor Ice Probability Chart in the Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 showed at that time, a carburetor icing probability of icing – glide and cruise power, with a relative humidity of about 30 percent. Recorded weather conditions about 39 minutes after the time of the accident, was a temperature of 66° F, and the dew point was 45° F. The recorded conditions equated to a probability of carburetor icing of serious icing (glide power) with a relative humidity of about 50 percent. The pilot provided multiple written statements pertaining to the sequence of events during the accident flight. None of the statements indicated the pilot manipulated the fuel selector any time after the partial loss of power occurred. Examination of accident site photographs revealed that the fuel selector handle was in or near the right fuel tank position.