Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182P near Hyampom, CA — 2025-06-13

Final reportWPR25LA175
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Date
2025-06-13
Location
Hyampom, CA, USA
Airport
H47
Aircraft
CESSNA 182P
Registration
N78720
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and a subsequent impact with terrain during a forced landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot overflew the destination airport at an altitude of about 8,500 ft mean sea level (msl) due to a temporary flight restriction. He then reduced the airplane’s engine power significantly, slowed the airplane’s airspeed, applied 10° of flaps, and initiated a 7,200-ft descent to the airport. While on approach to land, the pilot advanced the throttle but the engine did not respond. Unable to maintain altitude, he initiated a forced landing onto an open field about 900 ft south of the runway. During the landing roll on unimproved terrain, the nose landing gear separated and the airplane came to rest upright in a nose-down attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. During the recovery of the airplane, about 60 gallons of fuel was found remaining in its tanks; a postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An NTSB meteorologist created a High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model sounding for the accident time and location, with the modeled surface elevation at 1,277 ft msl. At an elevation of 7,064 ft msl, the HRRR sounding indicated the temperature was about 6.6°C and the dew point was about -5.9°C, with a relative humidity of 40%. The icing probability chart in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 indicated that the modeled atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to icing at glide [idle] power," and the airplane’s prelanding checklist included applying full carburetor heat before the throttle was closed. However, the pilot stated that he did not use carburetor heat during the descent and approach.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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