CEN19LA213

The pilot was about midway to his destination airport in a light sport airplane when he detected the odor of hot oil, so he elected to return to his departure airport to land. While on approach to land, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power and its propeller stopped turning. After determining a nearby road was unsafe to land on due to vehicles, the pilot elected to land in a pond short of the approach end of the runway. The left wing separated from the fuselage during the landing. Examination of the airplane's engine showed no anomalies, and the source of the odor could not be determined. Examination of the cockpit showed that the fuel control was in the ON position and that the carburetor heat was off. Weather conditions at the airport were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. It is likely that, during the approach, the pilot failed to use carburetor heat and the engine experienced carburetor icing, which led to the loss of engine power.

On June 22, 2019 at 0951 EDT, an Ercoupe 415C airplane, N415WP, impacted in a swamp near North Central State Airport (SFZ), Smithfield, Rhode Island, following a total loss of engine power. The sport pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight within the light sport aircraft category. Day visual meteorological conditions were reported at the accident site and along the route of flight about the time of the accident. The flight originated from North Central State Airport (SFZ), Rhode Island, and was destined for Southbridge Municipal Airport (3B0), Massachusetts. The pilot was about midway between SFZ and 3B0 when he detected the odor of hot oil. He elected to return to SFZ and land. While on approach to land there was a total loss of engine power and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot landed in a swamp short of the approach end of the runway. The left wing separated from the fuselage during the landing. The wreckage examination was limited due to damage to the airplane and water immersion. The responding FAA inspector was able to verify the engine rotated and compression was present at each cylinder. Oil was drained from the engine crankcase during recovery. Murky water was present in fuel samples taken from the wreckage and the fuel filter was contaminated by water and slime. The fuel control valve was found in the ON position and the carburetor heat knob was found in the IN/OFF position. The carburetor was impact-separated from the engine. Based on the evidence available, no anomalies were noted with the engine or airframe and the source of the oil smell was not identified. Weather at SFZ at 0950 was reported as temperature 21° C, dewpoint 13° C, wind 320° at 9 kts, altimeter 29.79. According to the FAA carburetor icing chart the weather conditions were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power.