14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 17, 2014 in Mabel, MN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/19/2014
Aircraft: CRAWFORD PRECEPTOR ULTRA PUP, registration: N1171Q
Injuries: 1 Minor.
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 had recently purchased an airplane and was ferrying it to his home airport. During the first leg of the trip, he reported that the engine’s rpm decreased two or three times from 3,200 to 2,800 rpm. The engine regained power shortly after the pilot applied carburetor heat. Shortly after departure on the second leg of the trip, the pilot felt a vibration in the engine, so he applied carburetor heat; however, the engine lost power and the airplane collided with trees in a wooded area. An examination of the engine did not reveal a reason for the power loss. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart indicated that the airplane was operating in an area that was associated with a risk of carburetor icing at glide power settings and light carburetor icing at cruise power. Because the airplane was being operated in an area of potential carburetor icing, and no anomalies could be found during postaccident testing, the engine likely lost power due to carburetor icing. However, the investigation was not able to determine that earlier application of carburetor heat would have prevented the loss of power.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The loss of engine power as a result of carburetor icing.
On May 17, 2014, about 1345 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Crawford Preceptor Ultra Pup airplane, N1171Q, impacted trees and terrain after experiencing a loss of engine power near Mabel, Minnesota. The pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the ferry flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Houston County Airport (KCHU), Caledonia, Minnesota.
The pilot, who had recently purchased the airplane, reported that the cross-country flight started from Alexander Field South Wood County Airport (KISW), Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, with full fuel tanks. The pilot added that during the first leg of the flight he experienced what he thought was carburetor icing 2-3 times. During those occasions, the engine ran rough and the rpm would decrease from 3,200 to 2,800. After 20-30 seconds of applying carburetor heat the engine appeared to recover.
The pilot stopped at CHU to refuel and added 9.9 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gasoline before continuing his flight home. About 12 miles from CHU, the pilot felt a vibration or flutter from the engine and elected to return to CHU. He applied carburetor heat; however, the engine lost power and the airplane collided with trees in a wooded area.
An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and both left and right wings. A visual inspection of the engine did not reveal a reason for the loss of power. Additionally, fuel was available in the airplane and free of contaminants.
At 0854, the automated weather station at KISW recorded wind from 280 degrees at 9 knots, temperature 51 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 31 degrees Fahrenheit, visibility 10 miles, a clear sky, and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of Mercury. At 1054, the station recorded a temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
At 1053, the automated weather station at La Crosse, Wisconsin (KLSE), located about 20 miles northeast of KCHU recorded wind from 250 degrees at 7 knots, temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 30 degrees Fahrenheit, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 8,500 feet and an altimeter setting of 30.07 inches of Mercury. At 1354, the station recorded a temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 27 degrees Fahrenheit.
The carburetor icing probability chart included in Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin No. CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, indicated that the airplane was operating in an area that was associated with a serious risk of carburetor ice accumulation at glide power settings and a risk for light carburetor icing at cruise power.
http://registry.faa.gov/N1171Q
NTSB Identification: CEN14LA244
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 17, 2014 in Mabel, MN
Aircraft: CRAWFORD KIRBY L PRECEPTOR ULTRA PUP, registration: N1171Q
Injuries: 1 Minor.
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 May 17, 2014, about 1500 central daylight time, a homebuilt Preceptor Ultra Pup airplane, N1171Q, impacted trees after experiencing a loss of engine power near Mabel, Minnesota. The pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Houston County Airport (KCHU), Caledonia, Minnesota.
The pilot reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector, that he had stopped at CHU to refuel and was continuing his flight home, with the recently purchased airplane. The pilot added that he thought the engine was getting carburetor ice; the application of carburetor heat did not restore engine power. The pilot selected an area for the forced landing; however, the airplane collided with trees in a wooded area. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and both left and right wings. A visual inspection of the engine did not reveal a reason for the loss of power. Additionally, fuel was available and free of contaminants.
The airplane was retained for further examination.
August 06, 2012: Mitchell, South Dakota - Mayor Ken Tracy, far right, administers the oath of office to Finance Officer Marilyn Wilson, second from right, and new City Attorney Carl Koch, left, as Councilman Dan Allen, seated, looks on at the start of a City Council meeting.
Mitchell's city attorney was returning from Wisconsin with his new airplane when he encountered every pilot's nightmare, a loss of power and an emergency landing.
Carl Koch survived the ordeal.
KSFY News talked with him about the experience and to find out how he's doing after the accident.
Koch said he's an experienced pilot and that he's doing great. He said he looks worse than he feels and calls the injuries only skin deep, but Koch has a story to tell.
The first flight he made with his new plane to bring it home to Mitchell from Wisconsin, it crashed during an emergency landing.
"I knew exactly what was going on, and what was going to happen and what I wanted at that point to happen. It doesn't take any time to think about if you've had experience as a flier. You know. You know immediately what's going on and what you need to do," Koch said.
Which is bring it down safely and responsibly.
"There's two things I've got to do. I need to contact the sheriff and the sheriff needs to contact the FAA," Koch said.
So will he fly again?
"I don't believe that I would have a fear of flying again. The truth of the matter is, that when I was flying in the military, I experienced things, and when things didn't go wrong it scared me more than this and obviously I continued to fly," Koch said.
But what's he going to do with his plane now?
"We're going to bring it back and get to the bottom of what happened," Koch said.
And his plans for returning to the skies?
"I'm not going to put my wife, whom I expect to be married to until I die, and family, through concern and worry. I'm not going to put them through that kind of concern and worry again," Koch said.
Koch said he was a member of the National Guard and has been flying for years. He added there's no substitute for experience, which he credits for knowing how to handle the plane.
Story and video: http://www.ksfy.com
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