- Date
- March 29, 1994, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Olive Branch, MS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2509VCessna 170
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940329008349A
- Case key
- 37518
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot-in-command to apply carburetor heat before reducing engine power to descend resulting in the partial loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing and the carburetor icing weather conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Before descending the pilot reduced the throttle but did not apply carburetor heat. After the descent the pilot applied throttle input but the engine did not respond. After touchdown in a field the airplane collided with trees and a fence. The FAA examined the airplane and reported that the right wing fuel tank and engine strainer contained a small quantity of water. The left wing fuel tank was impact damaged. According to an icing probability chart conditions were favorable for visible icing at rated power with a float type carburetor installed.
Factual narrative
On March 29, 1994, about 1545 central standard time, a Cessna 170, registered to C.P.T., Inc, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field about 5 miles east of the Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the Olive Branch Airport about 1400.
The pilot stated that the flight was about 5 miles from the airport returning to land and before descending, he reduced the power only. After descending, he applied throttle to increase engine power but the engine did not respond. He attempted a forced landing in a field, and during the landing roll the airplane collided with trees and a fence.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector the following day revealed that the left wing fuel tank was damaged. The right wing fuel tank and gascolator which were not damaged were checked for fuel contamination; about 1/2 ounce of water was present in both. The fuel selector was in the "both" position and had not been moved from that position after engine start before departure.
According to an icing probability chart, conditions were favorable for visible icing at rated power with a float type carburetor installed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2509V
- Reported as
- Cessna 170
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18012
- Airframe hours
- 3,183
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- C.P.T., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 1993 · 8 hours before
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,100 total · 60 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 15 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.