20030503009609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Skwentna, AK · May 3, 2003

Date: May 3, 2003 · 12:00 local
Place: Skwentna, AK
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8240P
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03LA048
Reported as: Piper PA18150
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,200 total250 in this make and model120 in the last 90 days

N8240PRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-8045 · Built 1963 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot stated he was flying upwind low and slow at reduced power setting looking over a river sand bar he intended to land on. When he made his turn from up wind to down wind he encountered a wind shear or downdraft and applied full power but the engine did not respond. He then leveled the wings and attempted an emergency down wind landing. The aircraft struck debris in the landing area and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated he felt the engine had not responded due to the build up of carburetor ice.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING UPWIND LOW AND SLOW AT REDUCED POWER SETTING LOOKING OVER A RIVER SAND BAR HE INTENDED TO LAND ON. WHEN HE MADE HIS TURN FROM UP WIND TO DOWN WIND HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR OR DOWNDRAFT AND APPLIED FULL POWER BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE THEN LEVELED THE WINGS AND ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY DOWN WIND LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK DEBRIS IN THE LANDING AREA AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT THE ENGINE HAD NOT RESPONDED DUE TO THE BUILD UP OF CARBURETOR ICE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC03LA048Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkwentna, AKThe pilot's failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in the accumulation of carburetor ice, a partial loss of engine power, and a subsequent forced landing. Factors contributing to the accident are a downdraft, the pilot operating the airplane at a low…May 3, 2003 · Substantial damage