Cessna 182P accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, May 24, 2014
On May 24, 2014 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 182P, registered N21048, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Mammoth Lakes, California (Mammoth Lakes airport). 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, which resulted from the pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat in cruise flight while operating in an area 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
- May 24, 2014 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, California · Mammoth Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P, built 1972 · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N21048 · no longer on the register · serial 18261381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 12,500 ft mean sea level (msl) when he noticed a partial loss of engine power and that the No. 1 cylinder exhaust gas temperature had dropped from 1,450 to 1,300 degrees F. The pilot diverted to an airport about 10 miles away; however, the engine then experienced a total loss of power about 4,000 ft above ground level. The airplane was unable to reach the airport, so the pilot performed a forced landing on a dirt road, during which the firewall was substantially damaged and the right main landing gear collapsed. A postaccident engine test run at various power settings revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions at the time of the accident at the airplane's cruise altitude of 12,500 ft msl were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power. During the on-site examination of the wreckage, the carburetor heat control was found in the "off" position. It is likely that the engine lost power due to carburetor ice and that the timely application of carburetor heat would have restored 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
- Fuel related during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › (general) › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 759.5 hours in all; 231.8 in this make and model; 32.7 in the last 90 days; 15.1 in the last 30 days; 650.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,938.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-550D (piston); 798 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBIH Bishop CA at 9:17 pm
- Destination: KLSN Los Banos CA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KMMH, 6 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.