Cessna 182A accident near Plattsburgh, New York, July 15, 2006
On July 15, 2006 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N2186G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plattsburgh, New York. It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to utilize carburetor heat, which resulted in the formation of carburetor ice and subsequent engine failure. Factors included the carburetor icing conditions and trees in the forced landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2006 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Plattsburgh, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N2186G · no longer on the register · serial 51486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the Cessna 182A, he was returning to land after completing a skydiving drop. The descent, and the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern were uneventful; however, after turning onto the final leg, the pilot attempted to add power, and the engine "cut out." The pilot checked the mixture, magnetos and throttle, but the engine did not regain power. In order to clear trees, the pilot reduced airspeed to stall speed, and the airplane landed short of the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, there was adequate fuel onboard, and there were no mechanical anomalies noted, but the carburetor heat was off. A plot of the ambient temperature and dew point on a carburetor icing probability chart revealed the likelihood of "serious [carburetor] icing at glide power."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PLB Plattsburgh NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.