Accident Details
On November 24, 2022, at approximately 1000 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182A airplane, registration N3886D, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Durango, Colorado. The pilot and a passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to the pilot, he was flying with a friend in the local area and was returning to Durango when the incident occurred. The pilot had selected the fuel selector to the "BOTH" position. While executing a turn with approximately 30 degrees of bank, the engine began to "cut out." In response, the pilot leveled the wings. The engine started to regain power momentarily before it "sputtered and died."
Immediately, the pilot established the airplane's best glide airspeed and selected a field for a forced landing. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted multiple trees, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Post-Accident Examination
During the recovery of the airplane, the pilot drained both the left and right fuel tanks, which yielded about 8 to 10 gallons of fuel per side. The wings were then removed to facilitate transport of the wreckage to the pilot's shop, where the National Transportation Safety Board performed a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine.
The examination revealed fuel in the gascolator with no visible contamination. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather conditions at the time of the accident showed no probability for carburetor icing.