# NTSB CEN12LA015: Cessna 150L, N642EZ, Vidalia, LA, October 7, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 7, 2011, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC) - Place: Vidalia, LA - Coordinates: 31.557222, -91.50389 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5572&lon=-91.5039&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 28, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82040 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA015 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82040/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82040 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA015 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power likely due to carburetor ice. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 198 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150L, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2071826), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis While in a descent for landing about 11 miles away, the pilot applied full carburetor heat and the engine almost lost total power. The pilot immediately turned off the carburetor heat and the engine began to run rough and eventually lost all power. The pilot made a forced landing to a field and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine and airplane found no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It was noted that, at the time of the accident, the airplane was being operated in conditions conducive to carburetor icing at glide power. ## Factual narrative On October 7, 2011, at 1640 central daylight time, N642EZ, a Cessna 150L, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after a loss of engine power while on approach to the Concordia Parish Airport (0R4), Vidalia, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at the Cleveland Municipal Airport (RNV), Cleveland, Mississippi, about 1450. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the repositioning flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a written statement, the pilot said he began his descent approximately 10 miles from the airport. When he was approximately 5 miles from the airport he applied carburetor heat to “reduce throttle/RPM and increase descent rate.” However, when he applied carburetor heat, the engine lost a “significant” amount of RPM. The pilot immediately turned off the carburetor heat and the engine continued to lose all power. The pilot made a forced landing to a recently plowed cotton field and subsequently flipped over. Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) performed a postaccident examination of the airplane and the engine. According to one of the inspectors, the airplane's vertical stabilizer, rudder and firewall sustained substantial damage. The nose landing gear was displaced aft and both wings exhibited impact damage. Fuel was found in the fuel lines to the gascolater and also in the gascolator and carburetor bowl. This fuel was blue in color and absent of debris and water. Compression and valve train continuity were established to each cylinder via manual rotation of the propeller and spark was produced to each ignition lead. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the engine. At 1635, weather at Natchez-Adams County Airport (HEZ), Natchez, Mississippi, about 11 miles east of the accident site, reported wind from 140 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 6,500 feet, scattered clouds at 8,500 feet, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.12 inches Hg. According to the Department of Transportation/FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart, the weather conditions at the time of the power loss were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N642EZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N642EZ-2018-01-05), registration cancelled 2018-01-05, S/N 15074225, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L - Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15074225 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Ellett Thomas S - Registered owner: Ellett Thomas S - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: RNV, Cleveland, MS - Destination: OR4, Vidalia, LA - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 22, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 223 total, 17 in this make and model, 152 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: HEZ, 11 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 20111007024769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111007024769A), Oct 7, 2011: Cessna 150L, Ferriday, LA, Destroyed. Pilot was at cruise altitude (3000') 5 miles from Ferriday Airport(K0RA). Pilot pulled "carb heat", engine had a problem and then a loss of power, then stopped… ## Other investigations on N642EZ (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX90LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA011), Oct 25, 1989: Cessna 150L (N642EZ), Marana, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY JUDGE HIS FUEL SUPPLY, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 17, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82040. 791 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362360&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Written Statement (item 2, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362361&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Written%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362364&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Carburetor Icing Probablility Chart (item 4, .PDF, 218 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362363&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probablility%20Chart-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.