Date:	20-JUL-2012
Time:	18:15
Type:	Cessna 182P Skylane
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N640AM
C/n / msn:	18263929
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Near Corona Municipal Airport - KAJO, Corona, CA -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	SU
Departure airport:	Riverside, CA (RAL)
Destination airport:	Corona, CA (AJO)
Investigating agency:	NTSB

Narrative:
At the end of a 3-hour-long traffic-watch flight, the pilot began to return to the departure airport. As the airplane transitioned the airspace of an adjacent airport, the engine speed dropped to idle and surged twice. The pilot performed a precautionary landing at the adjacent airport. After an uneventful landing, the pilot performed an engine run-up and more troubleshooting steps and was unable to replicate the engine problem. The pilot then decided to depart for the home airport; however, shortly after departure, the engine speed variations began again, eventually resulting in a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a nearby field, where the majority of the airplane, including most of its fuel supply system, was consumed by postimpact fire. The engine sustained minimal damage, however, and postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power shortly after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to take off with a known but unidentified airplane deficiency.

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120721X15912&key=1
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=8743932
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120721/APN/1207210540?tc=ar
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/veteran-radio-traffic-reporter-injured-in-plane-crash.html

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N640AM.html
https://flightaware.com/photos/view/563408-be9d210ff656a059d7b2aabe6703cdfad1aac235/aircrafttype/C182

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Jul-2012 00:20	Geno	Added
21-Jul-2012 20:58	Geno	Updated [Phase, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:28	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
27-Nov-2017 20:56	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]