Cessna 182A accident near Mead, Washington, May 17, 1991
On May 17, 1991 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N5048D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mead, Washington (Mead airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CARBURETOR ICE AND THE PILOT NOT USING THE CARBURETOR HEAR. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1991 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Mead, Washington · Mead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N5048D · registry record · serial 51148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE BEGINNING OF A FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DROPPING PARACHUTISTS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL FOR THE START, TAXI, AND TAKE OFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 150 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SET-UP FOR A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WITH THE ENGINE PRODUCING PARTIAL POWER AND REGAINING FULL POWER, THEN BACK TO PARTIAL POWER, UNTIL TOUCH DOWN. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE CARBURETOR ICING CHART INDICATES THAT THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED IN SERIOUS ICING AT CRUISE AND CLIMB POWER. THE PILOT HAD NOT UTILIZED CARBURETOR HEAT FOR THE FLIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,156 hours in all; 26 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,992 as pilot in command; 194 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,550 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft; scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from SFF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.