20000204011829A

(-23) N5743N was enroute from ric to dkx when it crashed near Robbinsville, NC which is located in graham county, NC. Pilot received 22 gallons of 100LL before taking off from the richmond airport. Pilot had an IFR flight plan filed out of ric. Somewhere along the route the requested to cancel his IFR flight plan and change to VFR flight following. Pilot stated that while flying under the IFR flight plan, atlanta ARTCC requested him to go to a higher altitude and he did not want to because he would have gotten into icing conditions. Pilot's original flight plan included a fuel stop. When he requested a change in his flight plan atlanta ARTCC agreed to of the change but remained the pilot that he would not be able to make his fuel stop. The pilot understood and stated that he had enough fuel to get him to his destination. N5743N was lost on radar at 5500 feet just past the harris VOR. N5743N never did reappear on radar. Pilot stated that the engine quit approximately 3 hours into the flight at an altitude of approximately 4500 feet. His statement said the engine quit between his hand off from atlanta ARTCC to knoxville ATC. He did not state any engine problems to the knoxvil le controllers. The pilots communications with knoxville tower were: 1)request of flight following into knoxville, TN around madisonville, TN. 2)to inform the tower that he was coming up side of athens, TN (N5743N crashed in the mountains of western north carolina near Robbinsville) the last transmission to knoxville ATC was a relay transmission throgh a northwest flight crew. The northwest flight crew informed knoxville ATC that they though t he pilot of N5743N said something about going to another airport. The pilot stated that the engine failure gave no warning, it literally stopped and the propeller froze. Pilot tried to perform a controlled landing into the threes. On-site investigation suggests that the right fuel tank had approximately 12-15 gallons of fuel and that the left had a very minimum amount of fuel. The fuel selector switch was placed in the right tank position. Both fuel tanks were intact. There were no visible signs of fuel seepage/spillage on the surrounding ground. The pilot stated that there was light snow while flying. At the crash site the carburetor heat was found to be in the off position and the pilot stated that he never did turn on carburetor heat on. The pilot stated that he was not in icing conditions. The engine teardown results indicated fouled up sparkplugs, the engine was low on compression, and it appeared that there was an incing problem.