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Conducive to carburetor icing

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NTSB finding · Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure

All 435 cases357 in the probable cause
Cases
435
In the probable cause
357 (82%)
Fatal cases
44
NTSB code
03031030

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '03031030') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '03031030'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '03031030') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 435

NTSB CEN26LA211Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA-28-235 · Montevideo, MNA total loss of engine power on approach due to carburetor icing.Jun 1, 2026 · N15291 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA26LA079Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 140 · Ceres, VAThe pilot’s failure to recognize and mitigate carburetor icing, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and forced landing.Dec 27, 2025 · N89884 · Substantial damageNTSB ANC25LA112Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172 · Yakataga, AKThe total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot’s failure to effectively use carburetor heat in meteorological conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor icing.Sep 22, 2025 · N4282F · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA175Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 182P · Hyampom, CAThe pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and a subsequent impact with terrain during a forced landing.Jun 13, 2025 · N78720 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA25LA189Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportChampion 7GCBC · Weyers Cave, VAA total loss of engine power on approach due to carburetor ice.Apr 26, 2025 · N9117L · Substantial damageNTSB ANC25LA026Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAeronca 7CCM · Kenai, AKA total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot’s inadequate use of carburetor heat.Mar 20, 2025 · N2527B · Substantial damageNTSB ANC25LA022Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA-18-150 · Anchor Point, AKA complete loss of engine power as a result of carburetor ice due to the pilot’s failure to effectively use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.Feb 28, 2025 · N3798Z · Substantial damageNTSB ERA25LA127Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172 · Mayo, MDA total loss of engine power at low altitude due to an accumulation of carburetor ice while in a cruise-power descent, which resulted in a forced landing.Feb 22, 2025 · N781FM · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA092Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA-28-235 · Shafter, CAA total loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Contributing was the student pilot and flight instructors’ failure to utilize carburetor heat.Feb 9, 2025 · N8535N · Substantial damageNTSB ERA25LA047Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing A75N1(PT17) · Huntington, WVThe pilot’s failure to utilize carburetor heat while operating the engine at low power and in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.Nov 18, 2024 · N55464 · Substantial damage
See all 435 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '03031030'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.