# NTSB CEN11CA660: Cessna 175, N7103M, Sugar Creek, OH, August 31, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 30, 2011, 20:48 local (Aug 31, 2011, 01:48 UTC) - Place: Sugar Creek, OH - Coordinates: 40.761943, -81.713058 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7619&lon=-81.7131&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 22, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - Ceveland FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 81854 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA660 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81854/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81854 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA660 ## Probable cause The pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 175, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2072502), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 175, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072502), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 175, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072502), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 175, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072502), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane's engine began to run rough during level flight, with about a 70 percent power setting. He switched fuel tanks and applied carburetor heat, but the airplane's engine continued to run rough. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a cornfield during night light conditions. Postaccident examinations of the airplane revealed that the firewall was buckled. No anomalies were found with regard to the airplane, engine, or systems during the postaccident examinations. According to the Federal Aviation Administration icing probability chart, the airplane was operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that the airplane's engine began to run rough during level flight with about a 70 percent power setting. He switched fuel tanks and applied carburetor heat, but the airplane's engine continued to run rough. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a cornfield during night light conditions. Postaccident examinations of the airplane revealed that the firewall was bent/buckled. No anomalies were found with regard to the airplane, engine, or systems during the postaccident examinations. A weather report for the destination airport recorded the temperature and dew point as 18 degrees Celsius and 16 degrees Celsius respectively. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, entitled Carburetor Icing Prevention, the temperature and dew point were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7103M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7103M-2012-02-28), registration cancelled 2012-02-28, S/N 55403, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 175 - Registry model: [Cessna 175](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (registry code 2072502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental GO-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (registry code 17024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 55403 - Airframe hours: 1955 - Engines: CONT MOTOR GO-300 SERIES 175 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 2011, 36 hours before - Departed: PHD, New Philadelphi, OH - Destination: PHD, New Philadelphi, OH - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 21, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 79 total, 79 in this make and model, 23 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: PHD, 25 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 20110830019849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110830019849A), Aug 30, 2011: Cessna 175, Sugar Creek, OH, Substantial damage. Aircraft was about 2400' MSL setting up to enter the pattern at kphd. The engine started to shutter then quit, propeller windmilling. Pilot found a field to… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81854. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354794&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of conversation with FSDO inspector (item 2, .PDF, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354810&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20conversation%20with%20FSDO%20inspector-Master.PDF - E-mail from FSDO inspector (item 3, .PDF, 10 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354811&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=E-mail%20from%20FSDO%20inspector-Redacted.PDF - FAA SAIB on carburetor icing (item 4, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354850&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20SAIB%20on%20carburetor%20icing-Master.PDF 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.