- Date
- August 30, 2008, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bay City, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N23461Cessna 150H
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080830846129A
- Case key
- 68935
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 during descent due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the collapse of the nose landing gear due to rough terrain.
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 the engine "stumbled and quit" about 3 miles from the destination airport. He was able to momentarily restart the engine before the engine lost complete power. The pilot performed a forced landing into a cornfield and the nose gear collapsed when it encountered rough terrain. A post accident inspection did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of engine power. The left and right fuel tanks contained approximately 3.9 gallons and 2.6 gallons, respectively. The temperature and dew point in the vicinity of the accident site were 24 degrees and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. Data indicated the possibility of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent power under those conditions. The pilot reported that his most recent flight review and FAA medical examination were completed in October 2003 and April 2004, respectively. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed during October 2005.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the engine "stumbled and quit" about 3 miles from the destination airport. He was able to momentarily restart the engine before the engine lost complete power. The pilot performed a forced landing into a cornfield and the nose gear collapsed when it encountered rough terrain. A post accident inspection did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of engine power. The left and right fuel tanks contained approximately 3.9 gallons and 2.6 gallons, respectively. The temperature and dew point in the vicinity of the accident site were 24 degrees and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively. Data indicated the possibility of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent power under those conditions. The pilot reported that his most recent flight review and FAA medical examination were completed in October 2003 and April 2004, respectively. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed during October 2005.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23461
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068964
- Airframe hours
- 3,830.37
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental Motors O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 22, 2005
- Departed
- 6MI1 · Millington, MI
- Destination
- K3CM · Bay City, MI
- Airport
- K3CM · James Clements Municipal
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 7, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 30 in this make and model · 160 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KMBS, 8 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 N23461 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.