Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90; Flight Crew Total 665; Flight Crew Type 265
Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown
Aircraft; Human Factors
Following release of skydivers at 9;000 feet MSL; I set RPM at 2;300 and manifold pressure of 15 in. Hg; the bottom of the green arc. The settings were maintained throughout the descent. I maintained a steep descent by using a side slip alternating left and right using full rudder. While in a slip between 3;000-5;000 feet the engine lost power. My first thought was that I had unported the fuel tank drain so I leveled the wings and pitched for level flight but the engine did not recover. I checked every cause I could think of but don't remember the order. The engine instruments were all in the green except manifold pressure. I knew the conditions were conducive to carburetor ice so I pulled the carb heat. I am not sure how long I left it on but when I did not hear any change in engine performance I turned it off. I alternated tanks on the fuel selector valve several times before putting it back on both. I realized I was not going to make the field so I selected a hay field and landed. I pulled the carb heat halfway out at some point on the final descent because that's where it was when I shut the engine down at the end of the landing roll. The engine was making power and running smoothly at the end of the landing roll. I am now convinced I had carburetor ice which I failed to recognize because I did not leave the carburetor heat on long enough.
C182 pilot reported an engine failure in descent; resulting in an off-airport landing.