CEN13LA068

NTSB accident investigation · Boeing A75L3 · San Antonio, TX · November 20, 2012

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 20, 2012, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
Place
San Antonio, TX
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N56226Boeing A75L3
Defining event
Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report January 13, 2014
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA - San Antonio FSDO
FAA report
20121120026809A
Case key
85648

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 partial loss of engine power during takeoff, likely due to the accumulation of carburetor ice.

Findings · 1

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.

Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icingEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcomeBoeing A75L3: 1 caseAll aircraft: 435 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 stated that an uneventful landing was performed on the grass runway and the airplane was turned around at the end of the runway for a takeoff in the opposite direction. The pilot reported that the winds were calm at this time. After liftoff, at about 15 feet above the ground, the pilot recognized that the airplane was not producing adequate power and was not accelerating and he landed the airplane. The airplane touched down near the departure end of runway, went off the end of the runway and struck trees. A witness stated that the airplane landed, made a 180 degree turn at the end of the runway and departed in the opposite direction. The witness said that he saw the airplane become airborne and when it was about 20 to 30 feet above the ground it leveled off and appeared to lose power. On-scene examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would account for the loss of engine power. The temperature an dew point recorded at the time of the accident were in the range of susceptibility for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power setting and serious icing at descent power setting. It is not known if the pilot used carburetor heat during the the landing before the accident, however, the carburetor heat control was found in the off position during postaccident examination. Based on the available information it is likely that the airplane's engine experienced carburetor icing which reduced the available power output of the engine.

Factual narrative

On November 20, 2012, about 1700 central standard time, a Boeing A75L3, N56226, was damaged when it overran the end of the runway and struck trees after an aborted takeoff from runway 35 at the Horizon Airport (74R), San Antonio, Texas. The pilot reported a loss of engine power which precipitated the aborted takeoff. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper left wing spars. The aircraft was registered to an individual and operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF) about 1650. The pilot stated that the flight began at SSF and an uneventful landing was performed on runway 16 at 74R. The airplane was turned around at the end of the runway for a takeoff from runway 34. The pilot reported that the winds were calm at this time. After liftoff, at about 15 feet above the ground, the pilot recognized that the airplane was not producing adequate power and was not accelerating and he landed the airplane. The airplane touched down near the departure end of runway, went off the end of the runway and struck trees. A witness stated that the airplane landed on runway 16, made a 180 degree turn at the end of the runway and departed from runway 34. The witness said that he saw the airplane become airborne and when it was about 20 to 30 feet above the ground it leveled off and appeared to lose power. On-scene examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector did not reveal any anomalies that would account for the loss of engine power. The engine was able to be rotated by hand and the intake and exhaust valves functioned normally. The engine oil level was normal and no oil was found in the engine's exhaust. Fuel was present in the fuel tank. The fuel shutoff valve was found in a partially closed position but fuel flowed freely through the fuel strainer and the flow did not decrease until the valve was turned much closer to the off position. The throttle control was found at idle, the mixture control in the full rich position, and the carburetor heat control in the off position. The temperature an dew point recorded at a station about 3 miles from the accident site were 24 degrees Celsius, and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the recorded temperature and dew point were in the range of susceptibility for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power setting and serious icing at descent power setting. The pilot's statement did not mention if carburetor heat was used during the previous landing, or during the accident takeoff.

Aircraft

Registration
N56226
Reported as
Boeing A75L3
Category
Airplane
Serial number
75-888
Engine
Lycoming R680, 215 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 20, 2012
Departed
SSF · San Antonio, TX
Destination
SSF · San Antonio, TX
Airport
74R · Horizon, runway 34, 2,250 × 100 ft, grass/turf

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
60
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 4, 2012
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
6,000 total · 110 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
170° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
SSF, 3 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 68 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 N56226 · 1

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