Cessna 182 accident near El Cajon, California, April 17, 2010
On April 17, 2010 at about 2:06 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5318B, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed use of carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2010 · about 2:06 am local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5318B · no longer on the register · serial 33318
- 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 flew around the local area and was going to orbit his parent’s house before heading inbound for landing. He stated that he applied carburetor heat for the descent to 2,000 feet for his orbit. During the second orbit, he heard and felt the engine sputter, and then go to idle. He immediately leveled the wings, turned the airplane toward the airport, exercised the throttle, and reported to an air traffic controller that he was inbound for landing. When he did not get the expected engine rpm, he again applied carburetor heat. He slowed the airplane to the best glide speed, and again exercised the throttle. A rise in manifold pressure was noted, but not rpm, when he increased the throttle. After determining that he could not make the airport, he decided to land on a city street. He tried to avoid power lines and telephone cables in his flight path, but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground at a 35-degree nose down angle, skidded to a stop, and caught fire shortly thereafter. During a postaccident inspection of the engine, no anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he completed a thorough preflight. The airplane had more than 1/2 tank of fuel in the left wing, and just over 1/4 tank of fuel in the right wing. The fuel gauges agreed with the visual inspection. A graph in the Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35 illustrated that the conditions encountered in this accident were at the boundary of the areas for serious icing for both glide and cruise power. Given the lack of any mechanical anomalies it is likely that the formation of carburetor ice resulted in the loss of engine 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 508 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 283 as pilot in command; 59 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470U (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajon CA at 1:25 am
- Destination: SEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from KSEE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.