# NTSB ERA18LA026: Piper PA28, N8758N, Bladenboro, NC, November 18, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 18, 2017, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Bladenboro, NC - Coordinates: 34.549167, -78.776664 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5492&lon=-78.7767&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 8, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96346 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96346/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96346 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA026 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the presence of an insect nest in the carburetor heat control box that prevented the pilot’s application of carburetor heat from restoring engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md) - [Ice/rain protection system: intake anti-ice, deice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 108 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [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. - [Approach: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190); cases with it: [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [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: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot stated that, after a go-around, he was on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern when the engine lost partial power. He applied carburetor heat, but it did not restore full power to the engine. With the airplane unable to reach the runway, he performed an off-airport landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing leading edges and engine mounts. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that there was an insect nest in the carburetor heat control box that prevented it from functioning properly. The examination revealed no evidence of other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide engine power settings. It is likely that the initial loss of engine power was the result of an accumulation of ice in the carburetor that could not be removed by using carburetor heat due to the insect nest. ## Factual narrative On November 18, 2017, about 1110 eastern standard time, a Piper PA28-140, N8758N, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Bladenboro, North Carolina. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight that departed Bladenboro Airport (3W6). The flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.In interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector the pilot stated that after takeoff from runway 20, he circled to land on runway 02, but then initiated a go-around. On the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to runway 02, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. He applied carburetor heat, but it did not restore power to the engine. The airplane was unable to reach the runway and the pilot elected to land in a small field. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed damage to the engine mounts, and wing leading edges. The propeller was manually rotated, and a spark was produced on all spark plug leads. Both fuel tanks were more than half-full of uncontaminated fuel. A mud dauber nest was observed in the carburetor heat control box, which prevented the carburetor heat valve from fully opening. The four-seat, low-wing airplane was manufactured in 1969 and was equipped with a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower reciprocating engine. The most recent annual was completed on September 26, 2017. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He reported 60 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on March 9, 2015. The weather conditions reported at the Columbus County Municipal Airport (CPC), Whiteville, North Carolina, which was located about 16 miles south of the accident site, included wind from 180° at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, ceiling broken at 5,500 ft, temperature 18° C, dew point 10° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. An FAA carburetor icing probability chart indicated the temperature and dew point conditions were conducive to the formation of serious icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: N8758N (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28 (140) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-25579 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 4334 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 26, 2017 - Departed: 3W6, Bladenboro, NC - Destination: 3W6, Bladenboro, NC - Airport: 3W6, Bladenboro - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 19, 2017; seat: left; flight hours: 600 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: KCPC, 16 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 20171118019159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171118019159A), Nov 18, 2017: Piper PA-28-140, Bladenboro, NC, Substantial damage. On November 18, 2017 at approximately 11:00AM. Pilot made a takeoff on runway 20 at Bladenboro Airport (3W6), then made a circle around the airfield and made… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96346. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472105&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 364 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472106&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 3, .PDF, 3 photos, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472107&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.