What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While flying north from pearson fld. (Vuo) the engine had a sudden loss of power.
According to the pilot the flight was for currency and practice of ground reference maneuvers. Within 15 minutes of the flight was when the engine lost 80% power. The nose of the aircraft dropped to maintain the trimmed airspeed and a descent was established. The pilot established a pattern over a suitable field using a northerly heading as downwind, turned east on base leg, and the final approach to the south into the wind to a grassy field for landing. The plane came to a stop in the brush at the southern edge of the field.
Although the pilot applied carburetor heat twice during the 15 minute flight, once at level off with no significant change of power and then at the time of sudden loss of power, the NTSB conclusion is that the power loss was due to carburetor icing.
The onsite investigation proved that at the end of the rollout the aircraft struck a tree line and caused substantial damage to both wings and support struts. The landing gear had minor damage. A continuity check of all controls was performed. Fuel was sampled from all sources and was found clear of debris and no water was found. The oil system showed sufficient oil quantity. With approval form the NTSB the engine was started and run. The engine appeared to run normally, produced power (2400RPM) and a magneto check was performed and passed. The application of carburetor heat produced a drop in RPM.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE FLYING NORTH FROM PEARSON FLD. (VUO) THE ENGINE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE FLIGHT WAS FOR CURRENCY AND PRACTICE OF GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WAS WHEN THE ENGINE LOST 80% POWER. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED TO MAINTAIN THE TRIMMED AIRSPEED AND A DESCENT WAS ESTABLISHED. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A PATTERN OVER A SUITABLE FIELD USING A NORTHERLY HEADING AS DOWNWIND, TURNED EAST ON BASE LEG, AND THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE SOUTH INTO THE WIND TO A GRASSY FIELD FOR LANDING. THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP IN THE BRUSH AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE FIELD.
ALTHOUGH THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT TWICE DURING THE 15 MINUTE FLIGHT, ONCE AT LEVEL OFF WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OF POWER AND THEN AT THE TIME OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, THE NTSB CONCLUSION IS THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
THE ONSITE INVESTIGATION PROVED THAT AT THE END OF THE ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE LINE AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND SUPPORT STRUTS. THE LANDING GEAR HAD MINOR DAMAGE. A CONTINUITY CHECK OF ALL CONTROLS WAS PERFORMED. FUEL WAS SAMPLED FROM ALL SOURCES AND WAS FOUND CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND NO WATER WAS FOUND. THE OIL SYSTEM SHOWED SUFFICIENT OIL QUANTITY. WITH APPROVAL FORM THE NTSB THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO RUN NORMALLY, PRODUCED POWER (2400RPM) AND A MAGNETO CHECK WAS PERFORMED AND PASSED. THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT PRODUCED A DROP IN RPM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N918TF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.