- Date
- June 17, 1996, 18:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Knightdale, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N47ESCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960617014189A
- Case key
- 38032
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 flight instructor (CFI) to ensure proper use of the carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor ice, loss of engine power, and a subsequent emergency landing.
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
The flight instructor (CFI) informed the student pilot to descend power off from 3,000 feet to 2,500 feet. The carburetor heat was not activated by the student pilot or CFI. About 1 minute after the student pilot leveled off at 2,500 feet, the CFI initiated a simulated forced landing. The student pilot overshot the forced landing area, and the CFI took control of the airplane and increased power. The engine would not produce full power and quit. The CFI made a forced landing in a tobacco field, and the airplane nosed over on touchdown. An examination of the engine was made, but no preimpact mechanical failure was found. The reported temperature and dew point were 86 and 70 degrees, respectively. According to icing probability charts, conditions at glide power were conducive to serious carburetor ice.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1996, about 1850 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N47ES, registered to ISO Aero Service Inc., operated by Raleigh East Aviation, as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a total loss of engine power while performing a simulated engine failure. A forced landing was made to a tobacco field, and the airplane nosed over on touchdown. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The certified flight instructor and student pilot reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Raleigh East Airport about 30 minutes before the accident.
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated he informed the student pilot to start a power off descending glide from 3,000 feet to 2,500 feet. The student pilot did not turn the carburetor heat on. The student pilot leveled off at 2,500 feet. The CFI gave the student pilot a simulated engine failure. The student pilot performed his emergency procedures, assumed the best rate of glide airspeed, turned towards his forced landing area, and over shot the forced landing area. The CFI took control of the airplane and increased power. The engine would not produce full power and quit. The CFI made a forced landing to the tobacco field, and the airplane nosed over on touchdown.
Examination of the engine assembly and accessories was conducted by the head mechanic of ISO Aero Service Inc., in the presence of the FAA and Raleigh East Aviation personnel. No evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction of the engine was found.
Review of the probability carburetor icing chart revealed that the engine would encounter serious icing at glide power based on the weather conditions at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47ES
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078449
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Raleigh East Aviation
- Registered owner
- Iso Aero Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- W-17
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 423 total · 4 in this make and model · 334 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 17 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.