# NTSB ERA12LA045: Graff Wilbur C Bearhawk, N5456C, Woodrow, WV, October 18, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 18, 2011, 16:23 local (20:23 UTC) - Place: Woodrow, WV - Coordinates: 38.456665, -80.395835 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4567&lon=-80.3958&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82146 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82146/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82146 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA045 ## Probable cause The pilot’s delayed use of carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing. ## 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: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=05610YH), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=05610YH), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05610YH), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05610YH), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05610YH), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was flying in a slow-flight configuration for more than 20 minutes when the engine began to lose power. Although the pilot applied carburetor heat, the engine continued to lose power. The pilot made a forced landing on a highway and collided with a road sign and a ditch. A postaccident engine run was conducted, and no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were noted. According to the Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing chart, the weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident were favorable for the accumulation of serious carburetor icing. It is likely that the continued slow flight in those conditions resulted in the loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, and the pilot’s application of carburetor heat was too late. ## Factual narrative On October 18, 2011, at 1623 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built, Graff Bearhawk, N5456C, experienced a partial loss of engine power and made a forced landing near Woodrow, West Virginia. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe and wings. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated from a private strip in Upperglade, West Virginia, at 1745. The pilot stated that he was flying for approximately 20 minutes in a slow flight configuration. He began to circle around a point for approximately 8 minutes when the engine started to lose power. The carburetor heat was turned on with no increase in power. The engine continued to lose power until altitude could not be maintained. The pilot made a force landing on a highway. During the landing roll out the right wing collided with a sign and the airplane veered off into a ditch. The pilot said that he knew the conditions were favorable for carburetor icing at the time of the flight but he applied the carburetor heat. He did not report any flight control anomalies prior to the flight. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane's right wing spar was damaged and the fuselage was buckled. The airplane was recovered, and no anomalies were noted during the engine cursory examination. An engine run was conducted but was limited to 1,800 rpm due to propeller damage. No anomalies were noted during the engine run that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest weather station was North Central West Virginia (CKB), Clarksburg, West Virginia located approximately 40 nautical miles west of the accident site reported; the ambient temperature at the time of the accident was 72°F and the dew point was 70°F. According to the FAA icing probability chart, this temperature/dew point combination meets the conditions favoring serious icing formation at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5456C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5456C), registered now, S/N 1, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRAFF WILBUR C BEARHAWK - Registry model: [Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK](https://openairdocs.org/model/graff-wilbur-c-bearhawk) (registry code 05610YH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Airframe hours: 580 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mccourt Dwayne E - Registered owner: Mccourt Dwayne E - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 27, 2011, 21 hours before - Departed: Upperglade, WV - Destination: Upperglade, WV ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 19, 2010; seat: front; flight hours: 1,320 total, 200 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.71 inHg - Observed at: CKB, 40 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 20111018025309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111018025309A), Oct 18, 2011: Graff Wilbur C BEARHAWK, Buckeye, WV, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that while performing a low speed circling manuever at 6500 foot in altitude, the engine began loosing power with carb heat on. He then leveled… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82146. 7.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 734 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365295&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation-McCourt (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365296&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-McCourt-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation-FAA Monola (item 3, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365335&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-FAA%20Monola-Master.PDF - Pilot flight times (item 4, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365297&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20flight%20times-Master.PDF - Federal Aviation Administration Carburetor icing chart (item 5, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365298&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Federal%20Aviation%20Administration%20Carburetor%20icing%20chart-Master.PDF - Photo 1-FAA - leftside view airplane (item 6, .PDF, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365299&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201-FAA%20-%20leftside%20view%20airplane-Master.PDF - Photo 2-FAA -front view of airplane (item 7, .PDF, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365300&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202-FAA%20-front%20view%20of%20airplane-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.