Pilot Debrief

CESSNA R182 near Grand Canyon, AZ — 2023-04-19

Final reportWPR23LA162
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Date
2023-04-19
Location
Grand Canyon, AZ, USA
Airport
40G
Aircraft
CESSNA R182
Registration
N4166C
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The airplane’s loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a cross-country flight when, about an hour into the flight, he noticed that the fuel was only being drawn from the left tank. He decided to conduct a precautionary landing at an en route airport. During the approach, the engine was “acting up” and he decided to add full power to perform a go-around. The engine then lost power, the airplane stalled, and both wings and the empennage impacted the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s fuel system and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice. The cause of the inaccurate draining of the right wing fuel tank and the loss of power could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land earlier or checked fuel system before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 13 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents13

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