What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was preparing for a crosscountry earlier in the day when he experienced low power. He landed at merrill airfield without incident. He parked the aircraft and did a through investigation. Sumped all strainers, did two complete run ups at full power and then a third iaw checklist prior to take off. All indications were normal. Pilot stated that there was not a "hiccup or any indication of further issues." He discussed possible low power with two other people, to include an CFI. All concluded that carburator ice was the most probable reason for the loss power.
Pilot was climbing out when he again experienced low power. As he started to turn to a landing runway the engine quit.
Aircraft had a hard landing on rwy 25, merrill field.
Pilot was sole occupant of the aircraft and was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PREPARING FOR A CROSSCOUNTRY EARLIER IN THE DAY WHEN HE EXPERIENCED LOW POWER. HE LANDED AT MERRILL AIRFIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT. HE PARKED THE AIRCRAFT AND DID A THROUGH INVESTIGATION. SUMPED ALL STRAINERS, DID TWO COMPLETE RUN UPS AT FULL POWER AND THEN A THIRD IAW CHECKLIST PRIOR TO TAKE OFF. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A "HICCUP OR ANY INDICATION OF FURTHER ISSUES." HE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE LOW POWER WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE, TO INCLUDE AN CFI. ALL CONCLUDED THAT CARBURATOR ICE WAS THE MOST PROBABLE REASON FOR THE LOSS POWER.
PILOT WAS CLIMBING OUT WHEN HE AGAIN EXPERIENCED LOW POWER. AS HE STARTED TO TURN TO A LANDING RUNWAY THE ENGINE QUIT.
AIRCRAFT HAD A HARD LANDING ON RWY 25, MERRILL FIELD.
PILOT WAS SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.