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19980206003839A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 105 · Sheridan, WY · February 6, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 6, 1998 · 16:30 local
Place
Sheridan, WY
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N316T
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA125
Reported as
Piper PA18105
Reported engine
Lycoming O290D2
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
194 total93 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N316TRegistered now · Piper PA-18 105S/N 18-2430 · Built 1953Airframe modelPiper PA-18 105Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Power loss due carb ice. Landed in snow covered field and subsequently nosed over. (.4)while in cruise, on a local area personal flight, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to regain power by placing the mixture to rich, applying carburetor heat, and switching fuel tanks. These procedures were ineffective, and the pilot conducted a forced landing beside a road. As the aircraft slowed during landing roll, the main landing gear dug into snow, and the aircraft nosed over. An examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence that would have prevented the engine from operating. The temperature and dew point were 39 and 34 degrees, respectively. According to icing probability charts, conditions were conducive to carburetor ice. (-23)during landing roll of an emergency landing to an open field, tires contacted snow and slush. Aircraft nosed over during rapid deceleration. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Emergency landing was inititated because engine had quit suddenly due to suspected carburetor icing.

As the FAA filed it

POWER LOSS DUE CARB ICE. LANDED IN SNOW COVERED FIELD AND SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. (.4)WHILE IN CRUISE, ON A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN POWER BY PLACING THE MIXTURE TO RICH, APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT, AND SWITCHING FUEL TANKS. THESE PROCEDURES WERE INEFFECTIVE, AND THE PILOT CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING BESIDE A ROAD. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED DURING LANDING ROLL, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DUG INTO SNOW, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM OPERATING. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 39 AND 34 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE. (-23)DURING LANDING ROLL OF AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, TIRES CONTACTED SNOW AND SLUSH. AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER DURING RAPID DECELERATION. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. EMERGENCY LANDING WAS INITITATED BECAUSE ENGINE HAD QUIT SUDDENLY DUE TO SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA125Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSheridan, WYthe pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Factors relating to the accident were: the carburetor icing (weather) condition, and the lack of a suitable area for an emergency landing.Feb 6, 1998 · Substantial damage