20090531008689I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Silvai LUSCOMBE 8A · Twin Falls, ID · May 31, 2009

Date: May 31, 2009 · 09:20 local
Place: Twin Falls, ID
Airport: Joslin Field - Magic Valley Rg
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N2976K
Reported as: Silvai LUSCOMBE8A
Reported engine: Continental C85*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,321 total400 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N2976KRegistered now · Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8AS/N 5703 · Built 1947 Airframe modelSilvaire LUSCOMBE 8A Engine modelContinental A&C65 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) Pilot stated that during engine run-up prior to take off he noticed that when he applied carburetor heat the engine RPM dropped more than normal. The take off was normal. At 5000 feet he made a throttle adjustment and the RPM immediately dropped to 2100. He applied carburetor heat and the RPM continued to drop. He called Twin Falls tower and told them he was returning. He checked the magnetos and switched the fuel tanks. The RPM continued todrop to 1800 then 1500. He called the Twin Falls tower and told them he had an engine failure and would not make the airport. The pilot landed in a dirt field.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING ENGINE RUN-UP PRIOR TO TAKE OFF HE NOTICED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED MORE THAN NORMAL. THE TAKE OFF WAS NORMAL. AT 5000 FEET HE MADE A THROTTLE ADJUSTMENT AND THE RPM IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO 2100. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND THE RPM CONTINUED TO DROP. HE CALLED TWIN FALLS TOWER AND TOLD THEM HE WAS RETURNING. HE CHECKED THE MAGNETOS AND SWITCHED THE FUEL TANKS. THE RPM CONTINUED TODROP TO 1800 THEN 1500. HE CALLED THE TWIN FALLS TOWER AND TOLD THEM HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE AND WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT LANDED IN A DIRT FIELD.