What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Commercial pilot david parker was on his maiden flight in the exp. Oxprey ii amphibous aircraft with 80 total hours total time on it. He had been flying the aircraft for 45 minutes practicing flight maneuvers and decided to do a long approach to runway 9 at orfino, ID. Mr. Parker was testing low to mid range power settings when the 0-320 Lycoming sputtered for a short time. Mr. Parker immediately checked carb heat and verified it's position by moving the lever back and forth to ensure he had turned it on, and added power. The engine then quit entirely. Parker partially raised the mechanical gear system, made a small course correction and landed power off in the river next to the airport causing substantial damage to the right wing and rudder. The pilot was not injured. Investigation has revealed that the cause of the carburetor ice is insufficient design of the carb heat system on this experimental aircraft. Owner counseled to redesign the system to be equivalent to carb heat systems in type certificated aircraft with the same 0-320 Lycoming engine installed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) COMMERCIAL PILOT DAVID PARKER WAS ON HIS MAIDEN FLIGHT IN THE EXP. OXPREY II AMPHIBOUS AIRCRAFT WITH 80 TOTAL HOURS TOTAL TIME ON IT. HE HAD BEEN FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FOR 45 MINUTES PRACTICING FLIGHT MANEUVERS AND DECIDED TO DO A LONG APPROACH TO RUNWAY 9 AT ORFINO, ID. MR. PARKER WAS TESTING LOW TO MID RANGE POWER SETTINGS WHEN THE 0-320 LYCOMING SPUTTERED FOR A SHORT TIME. MR. PARKER IMMEDIATELY CHECKED CARB HEAT AND VERIFIED IT'S POSITION BY MOVING THE LEVER BACK AND FORTH TO ENSURE HE HAD TURNED IT ON, AND ADDED POWER. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT ENTIRELY. PARKER PARTIALLY RAISED THE MECHANICAL GEAR SYSTEM, MADE A SMALL COURSE CORRECTION AND LANDED POWER OFF IN THE RIVER NEXT TO THE AIRPORT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND RUDDER. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CARBURETOR ICE IS INSUFFICIENT DESIGN OF THE CARB HEAT SYSTEM ON THIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT. OWNER COUNSELED TO REDESIGN THE SYSTEM TO BE EQUIVALENT TO CARB HEAT SYSTEMS IN TYPE CERTIFICATED AIRCRAFT WITH THE SAME 0-320 LYCOMING ENGINE INSTALLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.