What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
02 May 2020, after refueling the listed aircraft and performing a preflight, the aircraft owner operator departed uvalde, Texas (kuva), at approximately 13:30L, enroute to eagle lake, Texas (kela), at an approximate altitude of 3500 ft MSL.
At approximately 7 miles northwest of the halletsville airport (34R), near worthing, Texas the aircraft engine began to vibrate and loose power. The PIC reduced the power setting and began looking for an alternate landing area when it was apparent the flight could not reach the nearby airport. The PIC, after avoiding power-lines and making turns, realized the sink rate was higher than predicted. A cattle field was targeted as an acceptable landing area. The landing was accomplished successfully with the aircraft experiencing damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, engine, firewall and engine mount.
06/08/2020 The houston FSDO iic performed a second inspection of the aircraft powerplant and associated equipment after the vehicle had been moved to it's eagle lake regional airport (kela) hanger. The stromberg NA-S3A1 carburetor and gascolator / sediment bowl assembly was removed after disconnect of the associated tubes, lines, cables, etc. Also removed was the lower number 1 and 4 spark plugs. Visual inspection of the items revealed murky fuel in the bowl, a small amount of sediment in the bowl, plugs that were lightly fouled and carbon bridged, the carburetor was soiled / dirty beyond the accident damage.
Based on weather conditions at the time of the accident and the NTSB carburetor icing probability chart, plus the statement given by the PIC, the aircraft loss of power appears to have been brought about due to carburetor icing, poor condition of the fuel and fuel system.
As the FAA filed it
02 MAY 2020, AFTER REFUELING THE LISTED AIRCRAFT AND PERFORMING A PREFLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT OWNER OPERATOR DEPARTED UVALDE, TEXAS (KUVA), AT APPROXIMATELY 13:30L, ENROUTE TO EAGLE LAKE, TEXAS (KELA), AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 3500 FT MSL.
AT APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE HALLETSVILLE AIRPORT (34R), NEAR WORTHING, TEXAS THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND LOOSE POWER. THE PIC REDUCED THE POWER SETTING AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA WHEN IT WAS APPARENT THE FLIGHT COULD NOT REACH THE NEARBY AIRPORT. THE PIC, AFTER AVOIDING POWER-LINES AND MAKING TURNS, REALIZED THE SINK RATE WAS HIGHER THAN PREDICTED. A CATTLE FIELD WAS TARGETED AS AN ACCEPTABLE LANDING AREA. THE LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCING DAMAGE TO THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER, ENGINE, FIREWALL AND ENGINE MOUNT.
06/08/2020 THE HOUSTON FSDO IIC PERFORMED A SECOND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT POWERPLANT AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN MOVED TO IT'S EAGLE LAKE REGIONAL AIRPORT (KELA) HANGER. THE STROMBERG NA-S3A1 CARBURETOR AND GASCOLATOR / SEDIMENT BOWL ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AFTER DISCONNECT OF THE ASSOCIATED TUBES, LINES, CABLES, ETC. ALSO REMOVED WAS THE LOWER NUMBER 1 AND 4 SPARK PLUGS. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ITEMS REVEALED MURKY FUEL IN THE BOWL, A SMALL AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT IN THE BOWL, PLUGS THAT WERE LIGHTLY FOULED AND CARBON BRIDGED, THE CARBURETOR WAS SOILED / DIRTY BEYOND THE ACCIDENT DAMAGE.
BASED ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE NTSB CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART, PLUS THE STATEMENT GIVEN BY THE PIC, THE AIRCRAFT LOSS OF POWER APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING, POOR CONDITION OF THE FUEL AND FUEL SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.