# Accident 19981219044559A: Piper PA18150, Fairfield, PA, December 19, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 19, 1998, 14:30 local time - Place: Fairfield, PA - Airport: Mid Atlantic Soaring Center - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.5496° N, 77.7609° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5496&lon=-77.7609&mi=10 - Aircraft: N82096, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N82096) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150 - Reported engine: LYC O320A1A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,570 total, 159 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA040) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981219044559A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON DECEMBER 19, 1998, AT 1430 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-18-150, N82096, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGE AFTER A LOSS OF POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING, IN THE VICINITY OF FAIRFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE GLIDER TOW FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM MID ATLANTIC SOARING (W73), FAIRFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA, ABOUT 1330. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE PREFLIGHTED THE TOW-PLANE AND PREFORMED A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT TO ENSURE IT WAS OPERATING PROPERLY. HE THEN DEPARTED W73, AT 1330, TO TOW A GLIDER TO FREDERICK MUNI AIRPORT (FDK), FREDERICK, MARYLAND. AFTER DEPARTING WITH THE GLIDER IN TOW, THE PILOT EXECUTED A GRADUAL CLIMB TO 6,500 ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. AT 6,500 MSL AND IN THE VICINITY OF FDK, THE GLIDER RELEASED AND THE TOW-PLANE PILOT PROCEEDED TO W73. APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM W73, THE PILOT ESTABLISHED THE TOW-PLANE ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 33, SELECTED FLAPS DOWN, AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS "HALF FULL" AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS A "LITTLE LESS" THEN HALF FULL. THE PILOT REPOSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK, AND APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE LATER AND 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED A RESTART, RESELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, AND ATTEMPTED ANOTHER RESTART. WHEN THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND, THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FORCED LANDING TOWARD THE AIRPORT; HOWEVER, THE PILOT DETERMINED THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLEAR A LINE OF TREES ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. HE THEN IDENTIFIED A "SMALL YARD" APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET LONG TO HIS RIGHT AND DECIDED TO ATTEMPT THE FORCED LANDING TO IT. AFTER TOUCH DOWN THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT REACHED THE END OF THE YARD. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE YARD AT 20 TO 30 MPH AND IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. (.4)THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO LAND AFTER RELEASING A GLIDER. TWO MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ESTABLISHED THE AIRPLANE ON FINAL, SELECTED FLAPS DOWN, AND NOTICED THAT HTE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS 'HALF FULL' AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK A 'LITTLE LESS' THEN HALF FULL. THE PILOT REPOSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK, AND 1 MINUTE LATER AND 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. AFTER SUCCESSUFLLY ATTEMPTING A RESTART, THE PILOT RESELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, PULLED THE CARBURETOR HEAT, PUMPED THE THROTTLE, AND ATTEMPTED ANOTHER START. WHEN THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND, THE PILOT COMPLETED THE FORCED LANDING, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING ROLLOUT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE IDLED SMOOTHLY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED BETWEEN LEFT TANK, RIGHT TANK, AND OFF. THE ENGINE STOPPED ONLY WHEN CLOSE TO THE OFF DETENT. ON A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART, CONDITION FOR THE ACCIDENT FELL ON THE BOARDER BETWEEN SERIOUS ICING WITH GLIDE POWER, AND SERIOUS ICING WITH CRUISE OR CLIMB POWER. 'CARBURETOR HEAT SHOULD BE USED WHENEVER ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS INDICATING ICING IS A POSSIBILITY AND THE ENGINE IS BEING OPERATED AT 75 PERCENT POWER AND BELOW.' ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC99LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA040), Dec 19, 1998: Piper PA-18-150 (N82096), Fairfield, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly use carburetor heat which resulted in carburetor ice and loss of engine power. Contributing factor were trees. ## Other reports on N82096 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20000304003319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000304003319I), Mar 4, 2000: Piper PA18150 (N82096), Frederick, MD, Minor damage. After making a whell landing on grass runway 12 at Frederick airport, the pilot commended a tail-hig, wheeel taxi. The propellar struck the surface causing… - [Incident 19810508030739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810508030739I), May 8, 1981: Piper PA18150 (N82096), Fairfield, PA, Substantial damage. Pilot touched down at mid field,attempted to ground loop due to tail wind component too great for remaining runway. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.