# NTSB ERA14CA310: Jackson Fred M Clipper, N2754A, Altamont, NY, June 14, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 14, 2014, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Altamont, NY - Coordinates: 43.726387, -74.070274 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7264&lon=-74.0703&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 2, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 89535 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA310 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89535/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89535 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA310 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat prior to descending in atmospheric conditions conducive to serious icing at all power settings, which resulted in a total 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: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=056150O), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=056150O), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=056150O), [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: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056150O), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056150O), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he had applied carburetor heat intermittently during the flight, but that during the final descent to the destination airport, he did not. The engine stopped producing power, and during the subsequent forced landing the airplane collided with trees which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and stated that the engine stopped producing power due to carburetor icing. Interpolation of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at all power settings. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he had applied carburetor heat intermittently during the flight, but that during the final descent to the destination airport, he did not. The engine stopped producing power, and during the subsequent forced landing the airplane collided with trees which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and stated that the engine stopped producing power due to carburetor icing. Interpolation of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at all power settings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2754A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2754A-2018-10-23), registration cancelled 2018-10-23, S/N 2003, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: JACKSON FRED M CLIPPER - Registry model: [Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER](https://openairdocs.org/model/jackson-fred-m-jackson-clipper) (registry code 056150O) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-A2B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-a2b) (registry code 42101, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2003 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 28 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Jackson Fred M - Registered owner: Jackson Fred M - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 20, 2014 - Departed: H30, Hamilton, NY - Destination: PVT, Altamont, NY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 538 total, 28 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 18 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: ALB, 14 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 20140614012189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140614012189A), Jun 14, 2014: Jackson Fred M JACKSON CLIPPER, Altamont, NY, Substantial damage. On June 21, 2014 N2754A Jackson Clipper experimental amateur built aircraft was found hanging in the trees at 167 gray rd in the town of Altamont NY, by the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89535. 3.0 MB in all. - Memorandum for Record, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415287&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot and FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 2, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20and%20FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Carburetor Icing (item 3, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Carburetor%20Icing-Master.PDF - Photo 1 – Airplane as viewed after Recovery from Trees (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415290&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Airplane%20as%20viewed%20after%20Recovery%20from%20Trees%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-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.