- Date
- March 1, 1990, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grafton, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N65538Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900301008619A
- Case key
- 11583
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 improper use of carburetor heat, when operating at reduced power in conditions which were conducive to carburetor ice.
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
The pilot was practicing airwork during a solo training flt, when a partial loss of power occurred. He applied carb heat and power was temporarily restored before it decreased again. Unable to maintain power, the plt selected a field for a forced landing. The field had a steep slope. During the landing, the nose gear contacted the terrain first and the airplane nosed over. During tests, the carb heat operated normally. Temp and dew point at the time of the accident were 31 degs f and 22 degs f, respectively. According to carb ice probability charts, this condition was conducive to carb ice during glide power settings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65538
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281603
- Airframe hours
- 4,907
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kci Enterprises, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 14, 1989 · 95 hours before
- Departed
- CKB · Clarksburg, WV
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17 total · 17 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CKB, 15 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.