WPR14LA061

The pilot reported that, after departure on a personal cross-country flight that he had made numerous times, he climbed the airplane to 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and then requested flight following services. As he neared the destination airport, he requested and received a descent to 3,500 feet msl from air traffic control (ATC). Upon reaching 3,500 feet msl, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and the controller gave him a heading to the closest airport. The pilot's continued attempts to restart the engine failed, and, when he realized the airplane was not going to be able to reach the airport, he executed a forced landing to a soccer field, and the airplane collided with a car, trees, and terrain. Examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found on board the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the atmospheric conditions were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

On December 5, 2013, about 1500 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24 airplane, N6595P, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport forced landing within the city limits of Fair Oaks, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The solo pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the pilot was participating in air traffic control (ATC) flight following. The airplane departed the Salinas Airport (KSNS), Salinas, California, about 1400, and was bound for the Auburn Municipal Airport (KAUN), Auburn, California. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on December 9, the pilot stated that he departed Salinas for his home airport in Auburn. He said that he has made the flight on numerous occasions. Typically he departs Salinas Airport, climbs to 6,500 feet above sea level (msl), and requests flight following services. When he gets close enough to see his destination, he requests a descent to 3,500 feet msl, and continues to the destination airport. The pilot said the flight proceeded normally until he requested the descent to 3,500 feet msl. After being granted the descent, he throttled the engine back to 2,100 rpm, and applied full carburetor heat, and enriched the mixture. Upon reaching 3,500 feet, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He said he reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and received a heading to Sacramento Mather Airport (KMHR), the closest airport to his position. He said he made the nearly 180 degree turn toward the airport, and continued attempts to restart the engine. Unable to restart the engine, and apparent that he was not going to reach the airport, the pilot attempted to land in soccer fields at Phoenix Park, Fair Oaks. He did not extend the retracted landing gear. During the landing, the airplane collided with a car, trees and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said he had not experienced any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. On December 6, the airplane was examined at the accident site by an FAA air safety inspector, and no mechanical anomalies were found. An examination of the airplane's maintenance logbooks did not reveal any anomalies or unresolved discrepancies. An examination of the recovered wreckage was conducted March 28, 2014 by an NTSB air safety investigator. The examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. A copy of the examination report is contained in the public docket for this accident. Given the weather conditions at the time of the event, and consulting a Carburetor Icing Chart, it is unlikely carburetor ice wasresponsible for the engine's loss of power.