Cessna 182A N3886D accident near Durango, Colorado

Probable cause

A complete loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, he was flying with a friend in the local area and was returning to the departure airport when the accident occurred. He was operating the airplane with the fuel selector in the “BOTH” position. When the pilot made a turn with about 30° of bank, the engine began to “cut out.” The pilot stated that he leveled the wings and that the engine started to regain power just before it “sputtered and died.” The pilot immediately established the airplane’s best glide airspeed and selected a field for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted multiple trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

The left and right fuel tanks had about 8 to 10 gallons of fuel per side. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed fuel in the gascolator, with no visible contamination, and no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather conditions at the time of the accident showed no probability for carburetor icing. Thus, on the basis of the available evidence for this accident investigation, the cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN23LA049 for the full record.