Primary finding
Probable cause
Fuel contamination and the improper adjustments made to the carburetor by unidentified maintenance personnel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain to which a forced landing could be executed.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane was climbing through 3,000 feet after takeoff when the engine experienced a complete power loss. The pilot's attempts to restart were unsuccessful and he elected to execute a forced landing to an open area adjacent to a football field. On short final the airplane struck a tree and control was lost. Examination revealed contamination in the fuel system consisting of dirt, water, and paint chips. Examination of the carburetor revealed additional contamination and several misadjustments to the mixture settings. There was no record of the carburetor having been overhauled or adjusted.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 9, 1994, at 1042 central daylight time, a Cessna 182P, N1478S, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Texarkana, Texas. The airplane, owned and operated by the private pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot received minor injuries, while the one passenger was not injured. According to the pilot, he had taken off from the Texarkana, Arkansas, airport for a flight to Dallas, Texas. He further stated that as he was climbing through 3,000 feet MSL, the engine "sputtered" and then experienced a complete power loss. His attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and he elected to execute a forced landing to an open area adjacent to a high school football field. On short final the airplane struck a tree and control was lost. Following retrieval, the engine was removed from the airframe and re-installed on another Cessna 182 airframe for functional testing. During the removal, contamination was found in the fuel strainer bowl and fuel screen. The contamination consisted of dirt, water, and what appeared to be paint chips. During the functional test, the engine would start, but would only run for about 5 to 6 seconds. The accident carburetor was removed and replaced with an overhauled carburetor and the engine ran within normal parameters. Disassembly and inspection of the accident carburetor revealed additional contamination and several misadjustments to the mixture settings. The source or sources of the contamination was not determined; however, it was noted that the airplane was parked outside and had a record of low usage. There was no indication in the maintenance records of the carburetor having been overhauled or adjusted. -