- Date
- May 30, 2008, 11:34 local (16:34 UTC)
- Place
- New Berlin, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3130VCessna 150
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080530838809A
- Case key
- 68255
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 the pilot's failure to use the carburetor heat during the flight. Contributing factors included the carburetor icing conditions and the trees.
Findings · 3
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.
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 reported that he topped off the fuel tanks and did a complete preflight and run-up. The airplane was operating "fine." He requested a climb to 3,000 feet above mean sea level (msl). He reported, "I got up to 1,800 to 2,000' msl and without warning the engine stopped." He checked the fuel selector ON, pushed mixture and throttle full forward, checked the master switch ON, checked the ignition switch on BOTH, and pulled the carburetor heat, but without success. He declared a MAYDAY and executed a forced landing to a golf course. During the landing roll, the airplane hit trees that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The inspection of the airplane found no deficiencies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The local surface weather observation reported a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius (C), and the dew point of 17 degrees C. Mist was reported in the area. With the reported temperature/dew point spread, the Transport Canada carburetor icing chart indicated the potential for moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power. The pilot reported that he was aware of the potential for carburetor icing, but he chose not to use the carburetor heat during the flight prior to the loss of engine power. The inspection of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on June 10, 2005. Neither the airplane owner nor the mechanic informed the pilot that the airplane needed an annual maintenance inspection or a ferry permit before the flight could be conducted.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he topped off the fuel tanks and did a complete preflight and run-up. The airplane was operating "fine." He requested a climb to 3,000 feet above mean sea level (msl). He reported, "I got up to 1,800 to 2,000' msl and without warning the engine stopped." He checked the fuel selector ON, pushed mixture and throttle full forward, checked the master switch ON, checked the ignition switch on BOTH, and pulled the carburetor heat, but without success. He declared a MAYDAY and executed a forced landing to a golf course. During the landing roll, the airplane hit trees that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The inspection of the airplane found no deficiencies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The local surface weather observation reported a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius (C), and the dew point of 17 degrees C. Mist was reported in the area. With the reported temperature/dew point spread, the Transport Canada carburetor icing chart indicated the potential for moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power. The pilot reported that he was aware of the potential for carburetor icing, but he chose not to use the carburetor heat during the flight prior to the loss of engine power. The inspection of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on June 10, 2005. Neither the airplane owner nor the mechanic informed the pilot that the airplane needed an annual maintenance inspection or a ferry permit before the flight could be conducted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3130V
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076394
- Airframe hours
- 5,284
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert W. Young
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2005 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- MKE · Milwaukee, WI
- Destination
- UES · Waukesha, 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 498 total · 155 in this make and model · 67 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 17,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- MKE, 10 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.