# NTSB ATL04LA183: Piper PA-18, N5546Z, San Juan, PR, September 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 12, 2004, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: San Juan, PR - Coordinates: 18.456666, -66.098052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4567&lon=-66.0981&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: San Juan FSDO-21 - NTSB case key (mKey): 60244 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60244/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA183 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat which resulted in carburetor ice and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was weather conditions favorable for carburetor ice. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - carburetor heat - not used, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system,carburetor - ice (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - fence - Main gear collapsed, emergency landing ## Analysis The pilot completed banner tow operations and made a left climbing turn. During the climb the airplane lost engine power. The pilot was unsuccessful in restoring the engine power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to the right towards the approach end of runway 27. The airplane, on a 120-degree magnetic heading, landed across the runway surface, rolled into the grass and collided with a fence. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the wings detached, the main landing gear collapsed and damage to the engine and propeller. The examination further showed that the fuel tanks were breached but more than 12 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left tank. The examination of the engine failed to disclose anomalies. The pilot did not report using carburetor heat during the flight. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were wind 360-degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, temperature 31-degrees Celsius and dewpoint 26-degrees Celsius. The review of the icing probability curves disclose conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. ## Factual narrative On September 12, 2004, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-18, N5546Z, registered to and operated by Aerial Sign of Puerto Rico, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 local flight, collided with a fence during an attempted forced landing at Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 12, 2004 at 1245. According to the pilot, he completed banner tow operations in the local area, released the banner and made a left climbing turn. During the climb, the pilot reported that the engine lost power. Efforts by the pilot to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to the right towards the approach end of runway 27. The pilot stated "due to low altitude, low airspeed, and the prevailing winds from the north it was impossible to complete the turn to the right to land on runway 27". The pilot elected to land on the available part of runway 27. The airplane was flying on a 120-degree magnetic heading and landed across the runway surface. The airplane continued to roll on an approximate 120-degree magnetic heading into the grass, collided with a fence, and came to rest in a construction zone 90 feet from the touchdown point. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. The wreckage path was approximately 30 feet wide and 25 feet long. Examination of the airplane revealed the wings detached, the main landing gear collapsed and damage to the engine and propeller. Also, two engine mounts were broken and the firewall was buckled. The fuel tanks were breached but more than 12 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left tank. Further examination on the engine was conducted on September 21, 2004 and September 28, 2004 by a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector. The airworthiness inspector found no anomalies with the engine. The pilot stated that he topped off both fuel tanks prior to the accident flight. The pilot did not report using carburetor heat during the flight. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were wind 360-degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, temperature 31-degrees Celsius and dewpoint 26-degrees Celsius. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5546Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5546Z), registered now, S/N 18-7848, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-C4P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c4p) (registry code 42289, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7848 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aerial Sign of Puerto Rico - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: TJIG, San Juan, PR - Destination: TJIG, San Juan, PR - Airport: TJIG, Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci, runway 27, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 8,500 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: TJSJ, 5 nm away ## 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 20040912027919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040912027919A), Sep 12, 2004: Piper PA18150, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Destroyed. (-23) Engine quit on traffic pattern climb out (crosswind leg). Aircraft engine inspected with no apparent mechanical reasons for inflight failure. Engine… ## Other investigations on N5546Z (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN67A0006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN67A0006), Jul 14, 1966: Piper PA-18 (N5546Z), Walsh, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal 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.