- Date
- March 29, 1990, 11:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Birchwood, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N61272Cessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19900329006479A
- Case key
- 5287
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
Carburetor ice due to the pilot's improper use of the carburetor heat. Factors related to the accident were: carburetor icing conditions, unfavorable wind, and the snow covered terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While on final apch to practice a touch-&-go landing, the plt noticed an increase in the acft's rate of dscnt. He advanced the throttle to correct the rate of dscnt, but the eng did not respond. He then applied full throttle, but there was still no response. The acft touched down short of the rwy on snw covered terrain in variable wind conds & thenose gear collapsed. Just before touchdown, the main gear hit the top of the perimeter fence, which resulted in minor damage to the fence. An exam of the eng revealed no mechanical reason for a malfunction. The acft was equipped with a supplemental type certificate, which allowed for the use of automotive fuel. It was being operated with automotive fuel, when the acdnt occurred. The temp & dew point were 40 & 37 deg, respectively, which were conducive to carburetor ice. The plt rprtd that he had throttled back to 2100 RPM on downwind, then on base leg, he throttled back to 1600 RPM & applied carburetor heat.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61272
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15070933
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William Lee Laflen
- Registered owner
- William L Laflen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 22, 1989 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- Z15
- Airport
- Z15 · Birchwood, runway 1, 4,000 × 75 ft, macadam
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 114 total · 110 in this make and model · 70 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N61272 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.