What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported that on June 13, 2025, at 10:30 local time during an attempt to land at the Hyampom Airport (H47), while on the turn from downwind to base for runway 32, the engine was unresponsive when throttle inputs were made from a low power setting. Without enough altitude or airspeed to reach the runway, he decided to make an emergency landing on a gravel bar nearby, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot noted that in order to avoid a temporary flight restriction (TFR) that had been issued in the area near the airport that he had to perform a steep approach to enter the left-hand downwind traffic pattern, which is an entry to the pattern not normally used. It was later revealed through correspondence with the pilot that carburetor heat was not used at any point during the landing. Review of the temperature and humidity records for that day was approximately 56° f, 75% humidity and a 48°f dewpoint. These weather conditions, combined with a long low power descent, lead the investigators to believe that the pilot was unable to regain engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON JUNE 13, 2025, AT 10:30 LOCAL TIME DURING AN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT THE HYAMPOM AIRPORT (H47), WHILE ON THE TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE FOR RUNWAY 32, THE ENGINE WAS UNRESPONSIVE WHEN THROTTLE INPUTS WERE MADE FROM A LOW POWER SETTING. WITHOUT ENOUGH ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED TO REACH THE RUNWAY, HE DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR NEARBY, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID A TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION (TFR) THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED IN THE AREA NEAR THE AIRPORT THAT HE HAD TO PERFORM A STEEP APPROACH TO ENTER THE LEFT-HAND DOWNWIND TRAFFIC PATTERN, WHICH IS AN ENTRY TO THE PATTERN NOT NORMALLY USED. IT WAS LATER REVEALED THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE PILOT THAT CARBURETOR HEAT WAS NOT USED AT ANY POINT DURING THE LANDING. REVIEW OF THE TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY RECORDS FOR THAT DAY WAS APPROXIMATELY 56° F, 75% HUMIDITY AND A 48°F DEWPOINT. THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS, COMBINED WITH A LONG LOW POWER DESCENT, LEAD THE INVESTIGATORS TO BELIEVE THAT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
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 N78720 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.