# NTSB ERA11LA173: Globe GC-1B, N80741, Anderson, SC, February 14, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 14, 2011, 14:27 local (19:27 UTC) - Place: Anderson, SC - Coordinates: 34.400001, -82.5 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4000&lon=-82.5000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78475 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11LA173 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78475/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78475 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA173 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice. ## 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 · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Globe GC-1B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=9230104), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Globe GC-1B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=9230104), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Globe GC-1B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=9230104), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Globe GC-1B, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=9230104), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that about 3 hours into his cross-country flight the engine began to surge and lose power. He initially thought it was carburetor ice and turned on the carburetor heat. The carburetor heat seemed to improve engine performance briefly, but the engine began to surge again and eventually stopped running. The pilot made an emergency forced landing in a field with the landing gear up and flaps down, incurring substantial damage to the underside of the airplane. A postaccident examination of the fuel system revealed no blockage or contamination of the fuel. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature/dew point combination at the time of the accident met the conditions favoring formation of serious carburetor icing at cruise power. It is likely that the loss of engine power resulted from carburetor icing. ## Factual narrative On February 14, 2011, at 1427 eastern standard time, a Globe Swift GC-1B, N80741, lost total engine power while in cruise flight over Anderson, South Carolina. The pilot made a forced landing in a field and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Wilmington International Airport, Wilmington, North Carolina at 1133. The pilot reported that prior to departure; he conducted a preflight and visually verified that the fuel tanks were full with 35 gallons of usable fuel. He sampled fuel from both the fuel strainer and fuel sump and found no contamination. According to the pilot, the engine burned approximately 8 gallons of fuel per hour, and approximately three hours into his cross-country flight, at an altitude of 4,500 feet, 12 miles southeast of his destination, the engine began surging and losing power. He initially thought it was carburetor ice and turned on the carburetor heat. The carburetor heat seemed to improve engine performance briefly, but then the engine began to surge and eventually it stopped running. The pilot made an emergency forced landing in a field with the gear up and flaps down, incurring substantial damage to the underside of the airplane. The examination of the wreckage was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector under the direction of the NTSB. On arrival at the scene, the FAA inspector detected the odor of fuel. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the underside of the nose and cowling were crushed. Flight control continuity was established to all the flight control surfaces. A visual inspection of the fuel vent line revealed that the line was unobstructed. The fuel cap was checked for security and it was found sealed and locked. The wreckage was recovered for further examination by the NTSB. Examination of the airplane by the NTSB revealed that the carburetor and the associated fuel lines were broken and separated from the engine. The carburetor was not located or recovered from the accident site. An examination of the engine revealed that due to the external damage, an engine run could not be performed. During a cursory engine examination the crankshaft was rotated by hand and valve train continuity and cylinder compression was confirmed. Further examination revealed that spark was obtained on all ignition leads. The top and bottom spark plugs were examined and exhibited normal wear signatures when compared to the Champion spark plug chart. It was noted that the airplane was equipped with two 13 gallon wing tanks and a nine gallon center fuel tank. A residual amount fuel was observed in the center tank. There was a residual amount of fuel found in the fuel lines and in the fuelmanifold. A check of the fuel system revealed no blockage or contamination of the fuel. Approximately one gallon of fuel was added to the center fuel tank and the electric fuel pump was checked for operation. The fuel pump operated and depleted all of the fuel out of the center tank. The ambient temperature at the time of the accident was 48°F and the dew point was 36°F. According to the Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing probability chart, this temperature/dew point combination meets the conditions favoring formation of serious carburetor icing at cruise power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N80741](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N80741), registered now, S/N 144, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GLOBE GC-1B - Registry model: [Globe GC-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/globe-gc-1b) (registry code 9230104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 144 - Airframe hours: 6152 - Engines: CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sigvaldsen Gary S - Registered owner: Sigvaldsen Gary S - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2010, 52 hours before - Departed: ILM, Wilmington, NC - Destination: 18A, Canon, GA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 25,000 total ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: AHN, 25 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110214009679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110214009679A), Feb 14, 2011: Globe GC-1B, Anderson, SC, Substantial damage. During flight, engine started running rough and quit running. A/c made an emergency landing in a field 12 miles se of Anderson, SC.on February 14, 2011, at… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 10, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78475. 5.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 505 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348932&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports-Pilot statement (item 2, .PDF, 632 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Pilot%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Miscellaneous-GlobeTempco onsite observation (item 3, .PDF, 9 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous-GlobeTempco%20onsite%20observation-Redacted.PDF - Drawings (engineering sketches)-Fuel system diagram (item 4, .PDF, 364 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348931&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Drawings%20(engineering%20sketches)-Fuel%20system%20diagram-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous-Fuel reciept (item 5, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348934&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous-Fuel%20reciept-Redacted.PDF - Miscellaneous-CE-09-35 Carb Icing (item 6, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356274&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous-CE-09-35%20Carb%20Icing-Master.PDF - Photo 1- underside of cowling broken carburetor base (item 7, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348948&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201-%20underside%20of%20cowling%20broken%20carburetor%20base-Master.PDF - Photo 2-Fuel being pumped out of center tank (item 8, .PDF, 925 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356270&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202-Fuel%20being%20pumped%20out%20of%20center%20tank-Master.PDF - Photo 3-Broken carburator attachment and fuel line (item 9, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356272&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203-Broken%20carburator%20attachment%20and%20fuel%20line-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous-Champion Check-a-Plug Chart (item 10, .PDF, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356271&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous-Champion%20Check-a-Plug%20Chart-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. 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