- Date
- September 9, 2008, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Ruby, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2690VCessna 170
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Lead agency
- Other
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 69169
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat, while operating at a reduced engine power while maneuvering in carburetor icing conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was making a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he was circling an off airport landing site at a reduced power setting, and when he applied throttle the engine quit. The pilot reported that during taxi for takeoff prior to the flight, the airplane's engine had carburetor ice, and he felt that this was what caused the engine to quit since he had not applied carburetor heat when he reduced power. The airplane made an emergency descent and impacted on muskeg. During the landing, the main landing gear attachments and left wing were damaged. The pilot indicated that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot was making a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he was circling an off airport landing site at a reduced power setting, and when he applied throttle the engine quit. The pilot reported that during taxi for takeoff prior to the flight, the airplane's engine had carburetor ice, and he felt that this was what caused the engine to quit since he had not applied carburetor heat when he reduced power. The airplane made an emergency descent and impacted on muskeg. During the landing, the main landing gear attachments and left wing were damaged. The pilot indicated that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2690V
- Reported as
- Cessna 170
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18200
- Airframe hours
- 2,690
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Zesiger Wendell H
- Registered owner
- Zesiger Wendell H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 3, 2008
- Departed
- North Pole, AK
- Destination
- Ruby, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 26, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 223 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
Other investigations on N2690V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.