What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On short final the engine lost power. The pilot did not have the carburetor heat on at the time. He then applied the heat and the engine loss more power so he turned off the heat.
The plane did not have enough altitude to reach the runway, so the pilot landed in a ditch.
A review of the carb icing-probability chart, showed that the there was a serious icing probability at any power setting, at the time and the loss of power after applying carb heat is a indication of already having carb ice and the pilot should have left the carb heat on, instead of turning it off.
As the FAA filed it
ON SHORT FINAL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON AT THE TIME. HE THEN APPLIED THE HEAT AND THE ENGINE LOSS MORE POWER SO HE TURNED OFF THE HEAT.
THE PLANE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, SO THE PILOT LANDED IN A DITCH.
A REVIEW OF THE CARB ICING-PROBABILITY CHART, SHOWED THAT THE THERE WAS A SERIOUS ICING PROBABILITY AT ANY POWER SETTING, AT THE TIME AND THE LOSS OF POWER AFTER APPLYING CARB HEAT IS A INDICATION OF ALREADY HAVING CARB ICE AND THE PILOT SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE CARB HEAT ON, INSTEAD OF TURNING IT OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.