A C182 engine quit in a descent for landing and would not restart. The aircraft started normally later and the pilot remembered that he had not applied carburetor heat because he had a high power setting and assumed ice could not form.

Narrative

On my flight in a C-182 at 7;000 FT MSL; 140 MPH full throttle; about 1.5 miles north east of the field. I was on the 45 degrees to the down wind of Runway 8. As I pushed over to start my descent to 6;400 FT I lost power to the engine. I trimmed for best glide and angled the plane for the middle of the runway. I then stated going though emergency producers. I checked fuel selector on BOTH; then mixture FULL RICH; magnetos on BOTH. Then [I] tried pumping the throttle. None of this worked and by that time I saw that I was not going to make the runway so I aimed for the field. I landed diagonally in the field to get the most room to stop. I had in one notch of flaps. The landing was only a little bumpy. I used maximum brakes to come to a stop. The grass was wet so I skidded and couldn't stop fast. I was almost to a stop when I went through the wires of a barb wire fence. They broke easily and didn't cause damage. After coming to the stop I shut the plane down and got out. I was not harmed at all. I think that the carburetor might have iced over. I didn't get to that part of my emergency procedures before I landed. And the plane started up and ran fine the following day. What was strange is it happened while at full throttle; at the upper end of the green operating range of tack and manifold pressure. I was under the impression that the carburetor only iced over at when below the green operating range. The only thing that I can see to help prevent this from happening again would be to let pilots know that the carburetor can ice over even at full power and warm temperatures.