National Transportation Safety Board - Docket And Docket Items: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Data Summary: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N8125T
NTSB Identification: WPR13LA108
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 02, 2013 in Wellsville, UT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/07/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 175B, registration: N8125T
Injuries: 5 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot reported that during a climb to cruise flight, he observed the engine rpm suddenly reduce, and he immediately applied carburetor heat. The pilot stated that the engine rpm increased for about 3 seconds before it decreased again. The pilot began troubleshooting the engine and performing the emergency landing checklist. The pilot stated that when he turned the ignition switch off and back on, the engine backfired once; however, the engine rpm remained at 1,000. He initiated a forced landing to an open, snow-covered field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The carburetor was disassembled and examined internally. The carburetor float bowl contained a liquid consistent with fuel, which tested positive for water using water-finding paste.
A local reporting station recorded the temperature at 25 degrees Fahrenheit and dew point at 19 degrees Fahrenheit. The reported weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at glide and cruise power. Given the sudden loss of engine rpm before and the rise in engine rpm following the application of carburetor heat, it is likely that carburetor ice was the reason for the loss of engine power.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A loss of engine power during cruise flight due to carburetor ice.
On February 2, 2013, about 1350 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175B, N8125T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Wellsville, Utah. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from Logan, Utah, at 1300.
In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that while climbing through about 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl), he observed the engine RPM suddenly reduce and immediately applied carburetor heat. The pilot stated that the engine RPM increased for about 3 seconds before it decreased again. The pilot began troubleshooting the engine and performing the emergency landing checklist. The pilot stated that when he turned the ignition switch off and back on, the engine back fired once, however, the engine RPM remained at 1,000. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open snow covered field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were structurally damaged. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Examination of the recovered airframe by the NTSB IIC and an FAA inspector revealed that both wings remained attached to the fuselage and contained fuel in both wing fuel tanks. Control continuity was established from the carburetor heat, throttle, and mixture controls to their respective linkages on the engine and air box.
Examination of the recovered Lycoming O-360-A1D engine, serial number L-7542-36, revealed that it remained attached to the fuselage via its mounts. The engine mount structure was displaced downward. All engine accessories remained attached to the engine. The top spark plugs, carburetor, and propeller were removed from the engine and the magneto "P" leads were disconnected from the left and right magnetos. The crankshaft was rotated by hand and mechanical continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. Thumb compression was obtained on all six cylinders. Both the left and right magnetos produced a blue colored spark on all ignition leads when the crankshaft was rotated.
The carburetor throttle and mixture levers moved from stop to stop by hand. When the throttle control arm was moved, the accelerator pump functioned and expelled liquid. The fuel inlet screen contained a slight amount of debris, however, was mostly unobstructed. The carburetor was disassembled and examined internally. Both metal floats were intact and undamaged. The carburetor float bowl contained a liquid consistent with fuel. The liquid was tested with water finding paste with positive results.
Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation
Weather conditions recorded at the Logan-Cache Airport, located about 9 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1351, were wind calm, visibility 7 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 25 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 19 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.46 inches of mercury. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, entitled Carburetor Icing Prevention, the temperature and dew point were conducive to the formation of icing at glide and cruise power.
NTSB Identification: WPR13LA108
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 02, 2013 in Wellsville, UT
Aircraft: CESSNA 175B, registration: N8125T
Injuries: 5 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On February 2, 2013, about 1350 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175B, N8125T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Wellsville, Utah. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from Logan, Utah, at 1300.
The pilot reported that while climbing through about 5,800 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine lost power. Despite multiple attempts, he was unable to restart the engine. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open snow covered field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were structurally damaged. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
(KUTV) A passenger on a small plane that crash landed in a Cache County field on Saturday afternoon captured the whole ordeal on his cell phone, from the moment the plane begins to fail to minutes after the crash.
Jonathan and Kara Fielding are on a recreational flight for Kara's birthday. Seated beside his mother-in-law, Jonathan is holding their seven-month-old baby boy as their family friend and pilot Lynn Goodsell flies his single-engine Cessna 175.
“We are just over the top of the overpass,” Jonathan says, narrating the video, as the plane clears the Wellsville Mountains. “We are told that there’s carburetor ice, so this is kind of exciting. I’m not worried. I think we’re going to be just fine.”
Goodsell turns on the carburetor heater but the engine shuts down. He begins reviewing his emergency checklist and searches for an impromptu landing spot below.
"Just got a prayer in our heart. I think we’re gonna be just fine," Jonathan says.
All five remain calm as the plane hovers over a Wellsville neighborhood.
"We’re going to land in a field, right here,” Jonathan says calmly, just before the plane touches down in a field of snow, only to flip upside down.
The phone flies from Jonathan's hands but continues to record the crash.
"Is everybody okay?" Goodsell asks.
"Oh man... Oh wow... Oh my gosh," the passengers say quietly hanging upside in their seats.
The baby is heard crying for a few seconds. They unbuckle their seatbelts and climb out uninjured.
Goodsell's totaled plane lies in an otherwise serene field of snow.
"I’m really sorry about your plane. Are you okay?" Jonathan says to Goodsell.
Jonathan then asks his wife if she will ever fly again, laughing nervously. She answers yes.
"I knew that we’d be fine," Jonathan says, "I just, I didn’t expect that."
Jonathan later said he fully expected a smooth landing and he never would have pulled out his phone and recorded the crash if he had known the landing would've been so rough.
Why didn'tthe pilot lan on one of the many snow free roads?
ReplyDeleteWires (hard to see), sign posts, cars, not long enough straight road, trees obstructing approach.... comm pilot here
Delete