Event DEN99LA110

Factual narrative

On July 1, 1999, at 1606 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N6165B, owned and operated by McCullough Engineering, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Salt Lake City, Utah. The private pilot, the only occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Loa, Utah, approximately 1430. According to the pilot's accident report, he had been receiving vectors for spacing around traffic. When he was finally cleared to land, he was higher than traffic pattern altitude. He decided to slip the airplane to dissipate some of the excess altitude. At a point where he felt he was in the proper position to complete a normal landing, he ended the slip and advanced the throttle. The engine lost power and steps to restore power were unsuccessful. The pilot made an off-airport forced landing. The airplane struck the street curb which knocked off the nose landing gear, then collided with a stop sign, bus stop sign, and a fence, incurring extensive damage to the wings. The airplane then skidded to a halt. On July 20, 1999, the engine was functionally tested under the direction of an FAA aviation safety inspector-maintenance. No discrepancies were noted. The inspector opined that the power loss may have been due to the engine "loading up" when power was applied after a prolonged period of idle power. Shortly after the accident, at 1620, the temperature and dew point at Salt Lake City International Airport were 33 degrees C. (91.4 degrees F.) and 9 degrees C. (48.2 degrees F.), respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Curve, light icing at glide and cruise power settings are possible. The pilot had been receiving vectors for spacing around traffic. When he was finally cleared to land, he was higher than traffic pattern altitude, and he slipped the airplane to dissipate excess altitude. When he advanced the throttle, the engine did not respond. An off-airport forced landing ensued. The airplane collided with a curb, stop sign, bus sign, and fence. The engine was later functionally tested and operated satisfactorily. It was the opinion of an FAA aviation safety inspector that the power loss may have been due to the engine 'loading up.' At the time of the accident, the airport temperature and dew point were 33 degrees C. (91.4 degrees F.) and 9 degrees C. (48.2 degrees F.), respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Probability Curve, light icing at glide and cruise power settings are possible under these conditions. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12