CHI03LA281

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150J · Fennimore, WI · August 23, 2003

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 23, 2003, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC)
Place
Fennimore, WI
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N61134Cessna 150J
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 2, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20030823023429A
Case key
57789

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

The loss of engine power in cruise flight due to carburetor icing. A factor was the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered during his forced landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine powerCruise
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
Weather condition - carburetor icing conditions
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
Nose overEmergency landing
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encounteredPilot in commandFactor
Terrain condition - ditch

Analysis

The airplane sustained substantial damage about 1245, when the airplane nosed over during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power in cruise flight. The pilot reported that he departed with "16 -18" gallons of fuel on board. The pilot stated, "[I] left Kenosha, Wisconsin, at 10:57 a.m. headed west toward the Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien. Engine quit over wooded/hilly mixed farmland. [I] went through emergency procedures then picked a field to land. [I] did not make it to the desired field." The engine was test run and it produced rated power with its damaged original carburetor. The Cessna 150 manual's cruise performance chart showed a fuel burn of 7.2 gallons per hour at an altitude of 2,500 feet and a 2,750 RPM setting. The local temperature of 29 degrees C and dew point of 12 degrees C were applied to a carburetor icing chart. The intersection of those temperatures was in the "light icing - cruise or descent power" portion of the chart

Factual narrative

On August 23, 2003, about 1245 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N61134, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the airplane nosed over during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power near Fennimore, Wisconsin. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1057 from the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), near Kenosha, Wisconsin, and was destined for the Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport, near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that he departed from ENW with "16 -18" gallons of fuel on board. The pilot stated:

[I] left Kenosha, Wisconsin, at 10:57 a.m. headed west toward

the Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien. Engine quit over

wooded/hilly mixed farmland. [I] went through emergency

procedures then picked a field to land. [I] did not make it to

the desired field.

The engine was shipped to Teledyne Continental Motors in Mobile, Alabama, for a test run under the oversight of a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The engine's carburetor sustained impact damage and was found to have broken mounting ears. The engine was run with a slave carburetor and produced rated power. The original carburetor mount was repaired with a bonding material. The engine produced rated power with the original carburetor. The results of this test run are appended to the docket material associated with this case.

The Cessna 150 manual's cruise performance chart showed a fuel burn of 7.2 gallons per hour at an altitude of 2,500 feet and a 2,750 RPM setting. The cruise performance chart is appended to the docket material associated with this case.

At 1153, the Boscobel Airport (OVS) recorded weather was: wind 360 degrees at 03 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 29 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 30.20 inches of mercury.

At 1253, the recorded OVS weather was: wind variable at 04 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 29 degrees C; dew point 12 degrees C; altimeter 30.18 inches of mercury.

A carburetor icing chart, copied from a Transport Canada source, was reviewed. The temperature of 29 degrees C and dew point of 12 degrees C were applied to the chart. The intersection of those temperatures was in the "light icing - cruise or descent power" portion of the chart. The carburetor icing chart is appended to the docket material associated with this case.

Aircraft

Registration
N61134
Reported as
Cessna 150J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15070827
Airframe hours
5,719.6
Engine
Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Barry J. May Jr
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 15, 2003 · 8 hours before
Departed
ENW · Kenosha, WI
Destination
PDC · Prairie Du Chie, WI

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
44
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
August 18, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
400 total · 390 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Variable at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
30.18 inHg
Observed at
OVS, 13 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.

Other investigations on N61134 · 1

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