The pilot reported that he was returning to land at the airport in Port Aransas, Texas, after dropping a load of skydivers at 10,000 feet above mean sea level, and that he did not apply carburetor heat during the descent.
He reduced the throttle to idle when he entered an extended base leg of the traffic pattern. The approach path was low, so he increased the throttle, but the Cessna 182’s engine did not respond.
He completed steps to troubleshoot the loss of power, but he did not apply the carburetor heat.
The pilot made a forced landing to a marshy area. The airplane hit uneven terrain and sustained substantial damage to the left wing, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.
Examination of the fuel system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing at glide power.
Given the evidence, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated, which resulted in the inability to increase engine power during the final approach.
According to the FAA, the airplane’s engine is highly susceptible to ice formation during a descent and the use of carburetor heat is recommended.
Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot’s failure to utilize carburetor heat.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This January 2022 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
And… Carb air temperature gauge in a O-470 powered 182 is invaluable. You can apply what’s needed to prevent ice without going full on. If you fly one of these, it becomes part of your normal scan.
The O-470 in a 182 can make ice on a hot summer day due to the induction system. I would always pull half carb heat upon larger power reduction. Full carb heat would really enrich the mixture. If you did get carb ice & pull on full carb heat, the engine would quit. Can’t compare a 172 with an O-320 to 182 with O-470 with regards to carb icing. totally different animal. You have to understand the animal you are dealing with.
Although the cause is clearly stated in the article, no one is discussing it.
When I was learning to fly about 45 years ago, I was stretching out my entry to the downwind leg of the pattern. The instructor told me that one of the principle purposes of the pattern is to assure that I can always reach the runway. He took the controls and said, “let me illustrate the location of entry to downwind.” When he turned to downwind, he switched off the mags, the propeller stopped, and he said, “it’s all yours”. The first glider I flew, and safely landed, was a Cessna 152.
I have been flying gliders for 44 years now and I have never failed to reach the runway … a running engine is not required.
The cause of the crash, as stated in the article, was “…he entered an extended base leg of the traffic pattern. The approach path was low …”
Good answer
Checklist, Checklist, Checklist!
I was flying a single engine Aero Commander powered by a 180 h.p. Lycoming. At 6,000 ft. I applied carb heat before reducing power for cruise decent to pattern altitude of 1,250 ft. I reduced power and maintained a 140 m.p.h. cruise speed. At 1,200 ft. I attempted to increase power preparing to turn off the carb heat. The smooth running engine acted as though the throttle cable had disconnected. Experimenting with carb heat had zero effect. A normal landing ensued. My mechanic found an exhaust baffle had failed and was blocking the pipe. Not everything is what we expect.
I have about 200 hrs in 150 and 172..not new birds, but always taught use carb heat ALWAYS! I might forget somethings, but carb heat will never forget…
That was part of the procedure when you pull power you pull carb heat they were essentially married together to do one without the other so what I was taught program that should say how I was programmed I could save your life
when glider towing in a competition workload if very similar to a drop ship …climb at full throttle 65-75kt, glider releases, dive down and to the right pulling carb heat before reducing power and decending. Pulling the carb heat while still at full throttle puts a large volume of hot air into the carb to keep them warm and shoving hot air through the engine in the descent and reducing the power gradually as possible mitigates the thermal shock on the cylinders. In the cruise before I start my FREDA check I pull carb heat hot and close it to cold at the end. Again Carb heat to hot at the top of any long descent before reducing power and as the C part of BUMPFITCH prior to joining the circuit.(when towing this is changed to MFFHHB to save time as Carb heat will have been pulled at top of tow as mentioned earlier). All I have to remember then is to go Carb Heat cold as I roll finals and its not the end of the world if I forget …at least the engine will make almost normal power in a go round and I can go carb heat cold as I climb away
10
1-This guy did indeed do all his training in fuel injected airplanes. He knew nothing of carb heat.
2-He did indeed have that damn ATP-ingrained “stable approach” habit (wide pattern to long shallow finals).
I totally neglected to teach him about #1.
I *thought* I had broken him of #2.
But he resumed doing #2, which is when #1 matters most.
Therefore I take 50%+ of the responsibility for loss of my airplane.
I trained him and did a terrible job. Lost a rare and well modified C model as a result of my complacency.
That photo is NOT the crash site. This is where we placed it for the insurance company after fetching it from the tidal flats.
He “flew the airplane all the way into the crash”, only slightly dropping the left wing before splashdown. His only injury was a bloody lip— from not wearing the shoulder harness I encouraged him to.
I was injured far worse attempting to wade across an oyster bed— barefoot— to help get out. (I knew those oysters were there, too….) The paramedics spent most of their time on my feet!
His first words when he got to shore were “please don’t fire me.”
Remember that 50% I mentioned? I can’t fire someone when half the blame is mine.
He’s still here and one of the best I’ve ever had.
Attitude is (almost) everything.
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve lost the aircraft. The reported damage didn’t sound too bad.
I see the FAA registry is on hold.
Low time private pilot here. Is applying carb heat standard procedure on descent? I was only trained to proactively use it on run-up, and on the downwind. Although I was trained in pa28s if that matters.
Primary training tends to teach the quirks associated with the aircraft used in that process. Some airplanes and engines display a propensity for carb icing, others much less so. The Lycoming engine in the PA28 is fitted with a carburetor directly attached to the engine oil sump. It runs in a much warmer environment than a Cessna aircraft powered by a Continental engine. Its carburetor is mounted much lower in the cowling, farther from a convenient heat source, and much more prone to icing. Carburetor temp gauges are nice to have but optional. If you fly a variety of aircraft, and I hope you do, it’s best to use carb heat on any closed, or almost closed throttle operations. The engine will run rich when you do so, and some might run slightly rough, but it’s better than quitting entirely.
Very informative answer. – thank you!
If you fly a newer Cessna like the 172R or S models, they are fuel injected, so no carb ice problem.!
A number of the Continental engines also have the carb mounted to the bottom of the crankcase, like the O-300 and O-470, but can see carb icing with certain temp and humidity conditions.
Are there any hints on remember ing carb heat? I have always flown with pressure carbs and after 10yrs of building my starduster. I am ready to fly as soon as the weather cooperates. Low time pilot. Thank you.
All càrburated engine should be plackard pull carb heat below 1750 rpm
As a very fresh, less than 100 hr, (and less than 12 hours since passing the private checkride) private pilot . . . My first seriously long cross country was from Topeka, KS to Colorado Springs, CO. I rented a very old VFR only Cessna 172 and took off into a 50 mph headwind out of the west. I personally checked the tanks before departure and they were brimming full. Time was a factor and I didn’t plan for any stops on my round trip that day. All my training had been in Colorado Springs in a brand new, fuel injected, 172.
Because of the headwind, using a handheld GPS, I climbed to over 12,000 feet and leaned the mixture before I was convinced I had the range (calculated from knots per hour compared to gallons per hour) to safely complete the trip. The sun was hot and I opened a vent which came off in my hand and was lost on the floor. At 12,000 feet I got cold but (since I later deduced I was oxygen deprived) I didn’t even consider turning on any heat.
I contacted approach, entered the airspace at about 10,000 feet, and started a long glide to conserve fuel. Without touching the mixture control, and without even remembering there was a carb heat knob, let alone the training I had received about what to do with it, I entered the patern. On final approach I applied throttle with no response. I quickly informed ATC, started praying, and vigorously started full stroke pumping the throttle. About to crash into a Wal-Mart building, with ATC repeatedly asking if I wanted to declare an emergency, the engine caught and roared to life just in time to clear the building and land. At that point, I had no time to deploy flaps, and was too rattled to attempt a go around. So I stalled and bounced several times before taxiing to the ramp. Once parked, I confirmed there was still adequate fuel before requesting a complete refill, then ran for the restroom.
Since fuel was not an issue, carb icing was, undeniably, the cause. Please don’t take my futile efforts pumping the throttle for a remedy. The reason I’m still breathing was an immediate answer to my desperate pleas to the Almighty. Divine intervention, not radical throttle manipulation, is what saved my life – and it wasn’t the first time, even though I’m unworthy of such grace.
Now THAT is a good story, like the response-to-the-crash story, the oyster-bed walker dude. I like the part where you opened the vent (because you got hot) and it came off in your hand and then you got cold, ha!
Been a while, but my recollection is that most older 182s didn’t have carb air temp gauges. Very useful instrument, and allows for use of partial carb heat. In very cold temperatures (-30 to -40F) we used to have to use carb heat to keep the mixture rich enough for takeoff power, even with the restrictor plate on the air filter. Very low density altitude of course, and full throttle gave higher than rated full power.
Every recip pilot (young and old) should heed this this issue, carb heat may seem silly repetition… until you need it.
We have had 3 incidents of engine losing power and aircraft landing on the beach and field . Another incident recently after landing engine shut down and restarted after few minutes.
Umm, I’m NOT a pilot,but have many hours flying in Alaska.
If in doubt, always use carb icing protocol.
I’ve witnessit at ground level too many times to know its a thing in any carburetor powered device!
Everybody makes foolish errors. Fools don’t usually make disastrous ones by dent of not being not being alowed into position to make disastrous ones.
Does his 182 have wing D icing?? This time of year I wouldn’t leave home without it. Could be a 10 degree difference. What a chilling thought!
You guys keep forgetting he pull power back at 10,000fteithbthe engine hot from the climb. Thermal dynamics baby yeah the carbs gonna ice differential press refrigeration. Bernellis principle look it up has more than just lift to his credit
He did not pull back power till in the pattern, usually a descent like this would be bottom of the green
Is that English?
A friend was landing at Casa Grande, AZ in July. He pulled on the carb heat and the engine quit…flooded since the air temp was 107 degF. and RH close to ‘0’. After landing he tried to start the engine and there was a fire from the excessive fuel.
So, use carb heat prudently, not just part of a ‘rote’ procedure.
My Cessna has a carb air temp gauge, and I rarely need to use it here in Northern Ca. with the air heated as it goes through a tube in the crankcase.!
With 80% RH, it’s a no-brainer to use carb heat, regardless of the temp.!!
And, even this 21 YO, commercial pilot, with 17 hrs in type, should has known.
Most older C182 have a carb temp gauge, as does my C175, so a quick glance at it would show the needle in the yellow or red zone.
Then, partial carb heat can be used to get the carb temp back in the green zone.
BTW, I couldn’t find this pilot in the FAA airman registry..??
Carb ice on take off. Unusual event for me. Put pulled
carb heat. Then called tower. Then safely landed on a parallel runway. Had shop check the 172 out just in case it wasn’t carb icing.
Carb heat—just a basic! Would have been the first thing I pulled.
Should be part of per-landing checklist AND lost power checklist!
You think you would of but you weren’t there where you. Everyone performs flawlessly from the couch.
Dont they though..
Well, it DID happen to me one night in a 172. Solo, 7500 feet over Illinois. I had checked for carb icing a few minutes before, but it WAS the first thing I pulled. Not the problem, but yes, some of us do as we’re trained, I was an 19 year old girl. Still a girl, but now in my ‘70s, so yes, I landed safely.