# NTSB ERA13CA010: Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP, N3073X, Lyman, ME, October 6, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 6, 2012, 08:39 local (12:39 UTC)
- Place: Lyman, ME
- Coordinates: 43.497222, -70.63639 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4972&lon=-70.6364&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report March 13, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85266
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85266/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85266
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA010

## Probable cause

The accumulation of ice in the automotive engine’s carburetor, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

## 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: [Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=05612R0), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md)
- [Engine fuel and control: fuel control/carburetor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Design; cases with it: [Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/cases.md?model=05612R0), [All aircraft, 195 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/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 (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05612R0), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05612R0), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

About 20 minutes into the cross-country flight, the pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane detected a vibration of the airplane’s engine that “didn’t sound good,” and noticed a drop in the rpm of the automotive-conversion engine. He immediately applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to lose power until the airplane could no longer maintain altitude and began to descend from its cruise altitude of 1,500 feet above ground level. The pilot performed a forced landing into the trees below, substantially damaging the airplane’s fuselage, wings, and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane, its engine, and its fuel system revealed no evidence of preimpact malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the fuel system was compromised by impact damage, the fuel that remained in the system was absent of contamination. According to a carburetor icing probability chart published by the Federal Aviation Administration, the temperature and dew point reported at an airport located about 6 nautical miles from the accident site were conducive to “serious icing at cruise power.”

## Factual narrative

About 20 minutes into the cross-country flight, the pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane detected a vibration of the airplane’s engine that “didn’t sound good,” and noticed a drop in the rpm of the automotive-conversion engine. He immediately applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to lose power until the airplane could no longer maintain altitude and began to descend from its cruise altitude of 1,500 feet agl. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to the trees below, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage, wings, and empennage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage at the accident scene, found no anomalies associated with the airplane’s fuel system, and noted that the fuel remaining was absent of any contamination. A subsequent examination of the engine was also unable to note any obvious mechanical deficiencies of the engine. The temperature and dew point reported at an airport located about 6 nautical miles from the accident site were conducive to “serious icing at cruise power,” according to a carburetor icing probability chart published by the FAA. Following the accident, the pilot stated he believed that the airplane’s custom carburetor heat system may not have possessed an adequate heating capacity to recover from an encounter with carburetor icing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3073X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3073X-2018-04-19), registration cancelled 2018-04-19, S/N 01 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOULTON HOWARD WELLS ULTRA-PUP
- Registry model: [Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR](https://openairdocs.org/model/moulton-howard-wells-ultra-pup-by-precptr) (registry code 05612R0) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 01
- Airframe hours: 100
- Engines: Volkswagen VMW 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, November 4, 2011
- Departed: 3B4, Eliot, ME
- Destination: IWI, Wiscasset, ME

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 74; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: sport pilot; last flight review August 4, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 7,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observed at: SFM, 6 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 20121006023109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121006023109A), Oct 6, 2012: Moulton Howard Wells ULTRA-PUP BY PRECPTR, Lyman, ME, Destroyed. Gradual lose of engine power 20 minutes into the flight. Could not maintain altitude. Crashed into trees. Aircraft received substantial damage

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85266. 3.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 762 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381187&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381188&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381295&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Weather Information (item 4, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381191&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Information-Master.PDF
- Carburetor Icing Probability Chart Plot (item 5, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381304&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Chart%20Plot-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Airplane from Front (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381189&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20from%20Front%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Airplane From Left (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381190&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Airplane%20From%20Left%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.

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