- Date
- July 30, 2007, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Greenwood, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3041GAircoupe F-1A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - DuPage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070730019999A
- Case key
- 66342
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 due to carburetor icing, which resulted in the pilot having to perform a forced landing to unsuitable terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were the carburetor icing conditions and the broken carbuerator heat lever.
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.
Analysis
The pilot said he was on initial climb out after takeoff at about 1,800 feet msl when the airplane's engine experienced a power loss. The pilot attempted to restore engine power while looking for a place to perform a precautionary landing. The pilot said that the engine seemed to "respond" as he "worked" the carburetor heat and "experimented" with the fuel mixture. While returning to the airport, the airplane lost power again. The pilot attempted a force landing near a school. During the landing attempt, the airplane impacted unsuitable terrain. An examination of the airplane revealed that the carburetor heat lever on the air intake box was broken off. The air intake butterfly could not be moved from the ram air position. The temperature and dew point around the time of the accident were 23 degrees and 19 degrees Celsius respectively. According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the weather conditions produced a moderate risk of carburetor icing at cruise power and a serious risk of carburetor icing at descent power at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 30, 2007, about 0915 central daylight time, N3041G, registered as an Aircoupe F-1A, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain following an in-flight loss of engine power during cruise near the Galt Field Airport (10C), Greenwood, Illinois. The personal flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and the passenger reported no injuries. The local flight was originating from 10C at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that after initial climb out the airplane experienced an "engine power loss" at approximately 1,800 feet mean sea level. The pilot selected a rural road on which to perform an off airport precautionary landing while he troubleshot possible causes for the power loss. The pilot stated that the engine seemed to "respond" as he "worked" the carburetor heat and "experimented" with the fuel mixture. The pilot then decided to return back to the departure airport and the engine power "dropped off again." The pilot determined that he was not able to make it back to the airport so he selected terrain next to an elementary school for a forced landing. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain near an elementary school.
An examination of the wreckage revealed that the carburetor heat lever on the air intake box was broken off. The air intake butterfly could not be moved from the ram air position.
Weather conditions reported near the time of the accident were: wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky clear; temperature 23 degrees Celsius; dew point 19 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 30.07 inches of Mercury.
According to the carburetor icing probability chart, there was a moderate risk of carburetor icing at cruise power and a serious risk of carburetor icing at descent power at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3041G
- Reported as
- Aircoupe F-1A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5741
- Airframe hours
- 951.4
- Engine
- Continental C90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George T. York/Thomas N. Chapman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2006
- Departed
- 10C · Greenwood/Wonde, IL
- Airport
- 10C · Galt
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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 236 total · 165 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- BUU, 18 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 N3041G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.