- Date
- August 16, 2009, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Washington, IA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N47539Piper PA-28-161
- Defining event
- Approach: Fuel related
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-DSM-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090816016459A
- Case key
- 74552
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
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in conditions that were conducive to carburetor icing.
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 returning to the airport to land when the accident occurred. He was 1 mile from the airport when the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field during which, he suffered a broken arm. Post accident inspection of the airframe and engine failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The pilot stated he did not use carburetor heat during the descent back to the airport. The local temperature and dewpoint were 27 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius respectively. These conditions are conducive to visible icing at rated power.
Factual narrative
The pilot was returning to the airport to land when the accident occurred. He was one mile from the airport when the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field during which, he suffered a broken arm. Post accident inspection of the airframe and engine failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The pilot stated he did not use carburetor heat during the descent back to the airport. The local temperature and dewpoint were 27 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius respectively. These conditions were conducive to visible icing at rated power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47539
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816093
- Airframe hours
- 7,557
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jarrard Edward E
- Registered owner
- Jarrard Edward E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 22, 2008 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- AWG · Washington, IA
- Destination
- AWG · Washington, IA
- Airport
- AWG · Washington Municipal
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
- 78
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 28, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,896 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- AWG, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 572 KB in all.
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 N47539 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.