What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot said he made several turns in preparation to returning to the airport to perform some touch and go landings. At 6500 feet MSL, the engine lost power, and efforts to restore were unsuccessful. He attempted to land on a road, but struck a mesquite bush and the airplane nosed over. The engine was later functionally tested and it operated normally. The pilot surmised that the engine had lost power due to carburetor ice. Thirty four minutes before the accident, the temperature and dew point at el paso, Texas international airport (elevation 3956 feet MSL), located approximately 30 miles southeast, was 9 degrees and -3 degrees c (48.2 and 26.6 degree f), respectively. According to the carburetor ice probablity chart. These conditions area conductive to serious icing at glide power, and it approaches a moderate icing realm at cruise power. (-23) see narrative #FTW98LA177
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT SAID HE MADE SEVERAL TURNS IN PREPARATION TO RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT TO PERFORM SOME TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. AT 6500 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND EFFORTS TO RESTORE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD, BUT STRUCK A MESQUITE BUSH AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE ENGINE WAS LATER FUNCTIONALLY TESTED AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE PILOT SURMISED THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOST POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. THIRTY FOUR MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT EL PASO, TEXAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ELEVATION 3956 FEET MSL), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES SOUTHEAST, WAS 9 DEGREES AND -3 DEGREES C (48.2 AND 26.6 DEGREE F), RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO THE CARBURETOR ICE PROBABLITY CHART. THESE CONDITIONS AREA CONDUCTIVE TO SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER, AND IT APPROACHES A MODERATE ICING REALM AT CRUISE POWER. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW98LA177
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.