# NTSB ANC03LA048: Piper PA-18-160, N8240P, Skwentna, AK, May 3, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 3, 2003, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Skwentna, AK - Coordinates: 62.5, -153.333328 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.5000&lon=-153.3333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA, Anchorage FSDO-3 - NTSB case key (mKey): 56951 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56951/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA048 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in the accumulation of carburetor ice, a partial loss of engine power, and a subsequent forced landing. Factors contributing to the accident are a downdraft, the pilot operating the airplane at a low altitude, the presence of carburetor icing conditions, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, maneuvering - low altitude flight/maneuver - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - carburetor heat - not used, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported he was operating the airplane about 100 feet above the ground when he initiated a downwind turn. He said that during the turn, the airplane encountered a downdraft, which pushed the airplane closer to the ground. He immediately applied full power, but the engine did not appear to produce full power, and the airplane continued to descend. He said due to the airplane's low altitude, he was unable to select a better landing area than a nearby frozen river. The airplane landed hard on the ice, damaging the wings, fuselage, and landing gear. The pilot indicated that he believed that the engine did not produce full power due to carburetor ice, which had accumulated since he had been operating the engine at a reduced power setting without carburetor heat. ## Factual narrative On May 3, 2003, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-18-160 airplane, N8240P, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the frozen surface of a river during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. The accident occurred about 80 miles northwest of Skwentna, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. The Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight operated in day visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight departed from an airstrip near Wasilla, Alaska, about 1030, and the destination was the area of the accident site. The pilot contacted the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on May 7. He related that he and a passenger were on a pleasure flight, and that he had been flying about 100 feet above the ground at a reduced power setting. He said he had initiated a 90 degree downwind turn, and hit a "sinker," which pushed the airplane towards the ground. He immediately applied full power, but the engine did not seem to respond with maximum power. The pilot indicated he did not have sufficient altitude to select a more desirable forced landing spot other than the frozen river nearby. He said he leveled the wings, and the airplane hit hard on the ice, damaging the fuselage, wings, and landing gear. When asked by the IIC if he was aware of why the engine did not seem to respond with maximum power, the pilot stated that he thought the engine had accumulated carburetor ice since he had been flying at a reduced power setting without the application of carburetor heat. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8240P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8240P), registered now, S/N 18-8045, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-160 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-8045 - Airframe hours: 2666.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kyle Forsgren - Registered owner: Keith Forsgren - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, February 17, 2003, 18.5 hours before - Departed: 0AK1, WASILLA, AK - Destination: Skwentna, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 18, 2003; seat: front; flight hours: 2,250 total, 250 in this make and model, 1,200 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030503009609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030503009609A), May 3, 2003: Piper PA18150, Skwentna, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated he was flying upwind low and slow at reduced power setting looking over a river sand bar he intended to land on. When he made his turn… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.