- Date
- January 20, 1997, 16:41 local (21:41 UTC)
- Place
- Winter Haven, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N97108Stinson 108
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970120000689A
- Case key
- 38208
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 to use carburetor heat for descent resulting in engine failure due to carburetor induction icing.
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 pilot stated the engine sputtered and quit while descending through 2,000 feet agl for approach to land. He was not using carburetor heat and had reduced the engine to 2,100 rpm. While landing in a field the aircraft struck trees. After the accident, usable fuel was found in each fuel tank and there was no contamination in the fuel. The engine was started and operated normally. The carburetor heat operated normally. Icing probability curves show the aircraft was operating in conditions conducive to serious icing at glide power and visible icing at glide and cruise power.
Factual narrative
On January 20, 1997, about 1641 eastern standard time, a Stinson 108, N97108, registered to a private individual, collided with trees while making a forced landing following loss of engine power, at Winter Haven, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight last departed Palmetto, Florida, the same day, about 1610.
The pilot stated he was not using carburetor heat as he descended with the engine set at 2,100 rpm. The engine "sputtered" and quit as he descended through 2,000 feet, 2 miles from the Winter Haven Airport. He did not think he could reach the airport and headed for a field. While making a forced landing in the field the aircraft struck trees.
Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector showed that each fuel tank contained usable fuel. There was no contamination in the fuel system. After the aircraft was recovered from the crash site, the engine was started and operated normally with no evidence of failure or malfunction. The carburetor heat system operated normally.
Carburetor icing probability curves indicate the aircraft was operating in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power and visible carburetor icing at glide and cruise power. The curves note that visible icing may become serious after 15 minutes. See Icing Probability Curves attached to this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N97108
- Reported as
- Stinson 108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-1108
- Airframe hours
- 2,589
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-150-B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward E. Westlake
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 1996 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- 48X · Palmetto, FL
- Destination
- GIF
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 303 total · 41 in this make and model · 266 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAL, 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.