Date: 201506
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Weather elements / visibility: Rain; 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Aircraft component: Carburetor
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: I was in cruise configuration with 2.25 hours fuel onboard; for the one hour flight home. Light rain showers enroute. Engine quit at approximately 8500 ft MSL. The left main fuel gauge reading empty; right tank indicating full. JPI digital fuel flow meter reading 12.2 gallons remaining. Setup best glide speed and switched fuel from both to left and then to right with no restart; mixture to rich; prop to full; throttle to 1/2; switched back to both on fuel selector. No restart. Set up for off field landing into the wind; and at about 500 AGL; pulled Carburetor Heat ON. Engine restarted; increased throttle to maximum; left mixture and prop full; spiral climbed over intended landing area to approximately 1500 AGL; turned south to clear the ridges. Engine would not run unless carb heat was full ON. Just past the ridges with an Interstate in sight; turning back eastbound to the nearest airport the engine failed again.  Attempted to slowly put carb heat back in; and engine would start to quit. Ran out of time and setup for landing into the wind; on the interstate. After landing safely; we pushed the aircraft to the side of the highway and chocked the tires. I sumped both left and right tanks and got clear blue fuel. Opened the cowling and looked for any anomalies; and none found. Inspected the belly for oil; fuel or leakage of fluids. Checked air filter for ice and/or debris. It was clean. Having found no anomalies; fuel present and determining that I had carburetor ice; I planned a flight back to the east to the closest airport just in case I had misinterpreted the issues. Judging by the hard climb after restarting the engine; I expected that I had burned a good amount of fuel at full rich and full power. Upon landing; and after inspection; I contacted a relative and had them bring fuel; as I did not want to repeat another possible emergency landing while flying back. My wife and daughter were passengers; and they rode in a vehicle to the airport while I flew solo. There were numerous buildups in the valley; but I climbed and diverted around them to the north and then proceeded to the airport. I put the aircraft away in a hangar for the night. The next day; I performed a thorough preflight inspection; completed ground runs and checks. I added 10 gallons per side; sumped the fuel; taxied out and after takeoff orbited the airport for 10-15 minutes. With no issues I continued an uneventful flight to original destination.




Synopsis: Pilot of C-182 experienced an engine failure enroute. Application of carb heat enabled the engine to restart. Proceeding to the nearest airport; the engine failed again and the pilot landed on a highway. After inspecting all power plant and fuel systems; and suspecting carb icing as the original problem; the pilot restarted the aircraft and flew to destination after obtaining additional fuel and arranging ground transportation for the passengers.