Cessna 182C accident near Port Aransas, Texas, January 1, 2022
On January 1, 2022 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1960 Cessna 182C, registered N8816T, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Port Aransas, Texas (Mustang Beach airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot’s failure to utilize carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2022 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Port Aransas, Texas · Mustang Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C, built 1960 · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8816T · no longer on the register · serial 52716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was returning to land after dropping a load of skydivers at 10,000 ft 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 based leg of the traffic pattern. The approach path was low, so the pilot increased the throttle, but the 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 impacted uneven terrain and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. 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 Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane’s engine is highly susceptible to ice formation during a descent and the use of carburetor heat is recommended.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel related during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 254 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,680 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 15, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-470L-50 (piston); 6,522 hours total
- Operator: Safesix Aviation LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,482 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KTFP, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTFP 011815Z AUTO 22008KT 10SM CLR 30/22 A2969 RMK AO2 T03040216
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 9, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence - NTSB and FAA Emails | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Safety Document - Flying for Skydive Operations P-8740-62 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.