# NTSB CEN23LA226: Temco GC-1B, N3830K, Bristow, OK, June 3, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 3, 2023, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place: Bristow, OK · Near 3F7 Airport
- Coordinates: 35.807046, -96.421136 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8070&lon=-96.4211&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO OKC
- SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192313
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA226
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192313/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192313
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA226

## Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice due to the pilot’s delayed application of carburetor heat.

## 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: [Temco GC-1B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=9230108), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Temco GC-1B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=9230108), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Temco GC-1B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=9230108), [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.

- [Maneuvering: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) (defining event); cases with it: [Temco GC-1B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md?model=9230108), [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was enroute to a private grass airstrip to practice touch-and-go landings. A witness observed the airplane approach the airstrip about 300 ft. The airplane was in a shallow left turn and the engine was running rough. He said that the engine lost and regained rpms about four times before it stopped running. The airplane appeared to be flying slowly. Seconds later, the witness heard the airplane make a sudden and audible contact with the ground, and he went immediately to the accident site. The airplane was lying upright in a vegetated field with the forward part of the fuselage and wings substantially damaged. The pilot told the witness that all he could remember was that the engine was running rough and that he was trying to correct the problem. The pilot said that he thought that he had carburetor ice, so he applied carburetor heat, but the engine roughness got worse. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, fuel system, and the engine, did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The airplane was being operated in weather conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. Based on the pilot’s and the witness’s recollection of the event and the weather conditions, the loss of engine power was most likely the result of carburetor icing due to the pilot’s delayed application of carburetor heat.

## Factual narrative

On June 3, 2023, about 1635 central daylight time, a Temco GC-1B airplane, N3830K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bristow, Oklahoma. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that he was enroute to a friend’s private grass strip airport (OK69) to practice touch-and-go landings. A witness observed the airplane approach OK69 from the north about 300 ft above ground level. The airplane was in a shallow left turn, and the engine was running rough. He said that the engine lost and regained rpms about four times before it stopped running. The airplane appeared to be flying slowly. The witness lost visual contact with the airplane behind some trees. Seconds later, he heard the airplane make sudden and audible contact with the ground and he immediately called the police department and went to the accident site. According to the witness, the pilot was sitting up and unbuckled in the left seat and was unclear as to where he was or how he got there. The pilot asked questions as to what had occurred; he kept telling the witness that all he could remember was that the engine was running rough and that he was trying to correct the problem. He thought that the engine had carburetor ice, so he applied carburetor heat, but the engine roughness got worse The airplane wreckage was found lying level in a vegetated area. The front portion of the cockpit and the wings were crushed aft. The examination of the airframe, flight controls, fuel system, and engine did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 includes a carburetor icing probability chart. Using the nearest reported temperature of 26° C, and a dew point of 17° C, the chart indicated that the airplane was operating in weather conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3830K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3830K), registered now, S/N 3519, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TEMCO GC-1B (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Temco GC-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/temco-gc-1b) (registry code 9230108) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3519
- Year built: 1948
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-300 SER 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: OK69, Private

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 500 total, 20 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: KCUH, 19 nm away
- METAR: KCUH 032135Z AUTO 36003KT 10SM CLR 26/17 A2989 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S T02570168

## 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 20230603007029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230603007029A), Jun 3, 2023: Temco GC-1B, Bristow, OK, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed from Bristow, OK Jones Memorial Airport (3F7), shortly after takeoff had a lost of engine power and crashed into a tree line approximately…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192313. 2.6 MB in all.

- Memorandum for the record pilot statement CEN23LA226 (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17670540&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Pilot%20Statement%20CEN23LA226_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for the record witness interview summary CEN23LA226 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17672122&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Witness%20Interview%20Summary%20CEN23LA226_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Bill of sale CEN23LA226 (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 988 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17669630&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Bill%20of%20Sale%20CEN23LA226_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for the record accident site and wreckage examination (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 878 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17678748&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Accident%20Site%20and%20Wreckage%20Examination%20CEN23LA226_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Carburetor ice probability supporting documents CEN23LA226 (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17657469&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Ice%20Probability%20Supporting%20Documents%20CEN23LA226-Rel.pdf
- Carburetor ice probability chart CEN23LA226 (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 321 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17818295&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Ice%20Probability%20Chart%20CEN23LA226%20Good-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for the record logbooks and NTSB form 6120 CEN23LA226 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17818871&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Logbooks%20and%20NTSB%20Form%206120%20CEN23LA226_Redacted%20Good-Rel.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.

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