CEN10LA586

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 175 · Deming, NM · September 29, 2010

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 29, 2010, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Deming, NM
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N9431BCessna 175
Defining event
Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 15, 2012
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
Case key
77885

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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Findings · 2

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.

Maintenance/inspectionsAircraft › Aircraft handling/service · Not serviced/maintainedCessna 175: 2 casesAll aircraft: 103 cases
Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedCessna 175: 3 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause

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 departed from a private airfield in order to ferry the airplane to an airport where maintenance facilities were located. During the initial climb, the engine lost power, and the pilot elected to land on the remaining runway. The airplane landed hard. A reason for the loss of engine power was not found during a postaccident examination of the airplane. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart in the Federal Aviation Administration's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed that the airplane was not operating in conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor icing.

Factual narrative

On September 29, 2010, about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 175, N9431B, experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from a private airfield near Deming, New Mexico. The commercial rated pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged during the accident. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. In order to conduct maintenance on the aircraft at his facilities, the mechanic/commercial pilot planned to ferry the airplane from the private airstrip. However, just after takeoff, the engine lost power and the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing on the remaining runway. During the forced landing the airplane experienced a hard landing. The airplane sustained structural damage to the engine firewall. A visual examination of the engine and airframe by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector, failed to reveal any preimpact abnormalities. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart, located in the FAA's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, dated 6/30/2009, revealed that the airplane was not operating in an area favorable for the formation of carburetor icing.

Aircraft

Registration
N9431B
Reported as
Cessna 175
Category
Airplane
Serial number
55231
Engine
Cont Motor O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Ferry · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
NA · Deming, NM
Destination
NM70 · Rodeo, NM
Airport
NA · Private, runway 27, 3,500 × 50 ft, dirt

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
58
Injuries
Serious
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 25, 2009
Seat
Left
Flight hours
10,000 total · 75 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Variable at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
91 °F, dew point 32 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
KDMN

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 751 KB in all.

Other investigations on N9431B · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.