What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Airman stated that during the enroute phase of flight form wasilla, AK. He had encountered carburetor ice on several occasions but the carburetor heat had cleared the ice adequately each time. When he arrived at his destination gravel bar he flew a standard traffic pattern and placed the carb heat control in the on position when he was abeam the touchdown point. He stated that the carb heat was on for approximately 15 seconds before he reduced power to begin the descent from traffic pattern altitude. On short final approach, after configuring the aircraft for landing with full flaps, he detected a bad spot on the gravel bar and attempted to go around by adding full power. The engine response was partial power but not enough to stop the descent. With partial power applied, the glide was extended and when the aircraft touched down the engine accelerated to full power. There was inadequated distance remaining to safely stop the aircraft so he attempted to continue to go around. The aircraft was still in the landing configuration and he was unable to gain enough height to clear the willow shrubs at the end of the gravel bar. The aircraft entered the willows and struck the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRMAN STATED THAT DURING THE ENROUTE PHASE OF FLIGHT FORM WASILLA, AK. HE HAD ENCOUNTERED CARBURETOR ICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT THE CARBURETOR HEAT HAD CLEARED THE ICE ADEQUATELY EACH TIME. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT HIS DESTINATION GRAVEL BAR HE FLEW A STANDARD TRAFFIC PATTERN AND PLACED THE CARB HEAT CONTROL IN THE ON POSITION WHEN HE WAS ABEAM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT. HE STATED THAT THE CARB HEAT WAS ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 SECONDS BEFORE HE REDUCED POWER TO BEGIN THE DESCENT FROM TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH, AFTER CONFIGURING THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING WITH FULL FLAPS, HE DETECTED A BAD SPOT ON THE GRAVEL BAR AND ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND BY ADDING FULL POWER. THE ENGINE RESPONSE WAS PARTIAL POWER BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE DESCENT. WITH PARTIAL POWER APPLIED, THE GLIDE WAS EXTENDED AND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO FULL POWER. THERE WAS INADEQUATED DISTANCE REMAINING TO SAFELY STOP THE AIRCRAFT SO HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE TO GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL IN THE LANDING CONFIGURATION AND HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH HEIGHT TO CLEAR THE WILLOW SHRUBS AT THE END OF THE GRAVEL BAR. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE WILLOWS AND STRUCK THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.