What happened
On October 3, 2025, at approximately 1720 central daylight time, a Cessna 182RG, registration N4609S, was involved in an accident near Cottonville, Iowa. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal flight.
During the cruise phase of flight, the pilot observed an increase in engine RPM. An attempt to adjust the propeller pitch to reduce the RPM was unsuccessful, as the engine failed to respond. After declaring an emergency, the pilot received clearance from air traffic control to descend to 4,000 feet MSL and divert to Dubuque Regional Airport.
Upon leveling off at 4,000 feet MSL, the pilot reported hearing a sound resembling an engine misfire, followed by violent engine shaking and a rapid descent. The pilot noted that the engine oil pressure gauge had dropped to zero.
The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing onto a road. During the landing rollout, the left wing struck the shoulder of the road, causing the aircraft to depart the roadway and strike a barbed wire fence. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the right horizontal stabilizer, and the right-wing strut. The pilot was not injured.