Cessna 182 accident near Pioche, Nevada, March 6, 1998
On March 6, 1998 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6799M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pioche, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. An additional factor in this accident was the pilot's decision to make the flight under known icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1998 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pioche, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6799M · registry record · serial 18263843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had received a weather briefing which informed him of occasional IFR conditions along the route of flight and that VFR was not recommended. He then filed a VFR flight plan. The pilot reported that he was flying on top of an overcast layer about 14,500 feet msl when he noticed that the carburetor air temperature gauge needle was moving into the yellow caution zone and the engine was running a little rough. He applied carburetor heat and noted that the ambient air temperature was at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and there were water rivulets running from the underside of the wing, in clear air. He stated that he then realized that the weather conditions were conducive to clear air icing. The needle of the carburetor air temperature gauge moved back into the yellow cautionary area although the carburetor heat was full on. Subsequently, the engine quit and the pilot stated that, 'it was immediately obvious to me that the carburetor had failed because of icing.' He then made a forced landing to a mountainous area and collided with rough terrain during the landing roll.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,455 hours in all; 476 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4,455 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1998; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 1:45 pm
- Destination: ELY Ely NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 22 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from CDC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.