- Date
- August 27, 2009, 19:30 local (Aug 28, 2009, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gonvick, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2409MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090827048769A
- Case key
- 74654
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.
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
According to the pilot, he intended to fly the float-equipped airplane for approximately one hour to practice for his airplane sea rating. During the flight, the engine lost 100 revolutions per minute (RPMs) on four or five different occasions. At 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuselage was buckled. A postaccident inspection and test run of the engine failed to reveal any mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located 10 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, recorded a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of 18 degrees C at the time of the accident. Review of the carburetor ice probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point were conducive to serious icing conditions at glide power. The airplane was equipped with carburetor heat, but the pilot stated that he did not use it. The pilot reported a total of 1,859 flight hours and 12 flight hours in the accident airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he intended to fly the float-equipped airplane for approximately one hour to practice for his airplane sea rating. During the flight, the engine lost 100 revolutions per minute (RPMs) on four or five different occasions. At 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuselage was buckled. A postaccident inspection and test run of the engine failed to reveal any mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located 10 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, recorded a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of 18 degrees C at the time of the accident. Review of the carburetor ice probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point were conducive to serious icing conditions at glide power. The airplane was equipped with carburetor heat, but the pilot stated that he did not use it. The pilot reported a total of 1,859 flight hours and 12 flight hours in the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2409M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1526
- Airframe hours
- 3,508
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael Johnson
- Registered owner
- Michael Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2009
- Departed
- Gonvick, MN
- Destination
- Gonvick, MN
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 8, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,859 total · 12 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 7, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 580 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.