- Date
- January 29, 2015, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ridgefield, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N918TFPiper PA 12
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 21, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150129001179A
- Case key
- 90671
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
The pilot's delayed action to use carburetor heat before the engine experienced a total loss of power while operating at cruise flight in conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that 15 minutes after takeoff, during cruise flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power. She pulled the carburetor heat control knob on, and initiated a forced landing to a grassy field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with heavy vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. About 30 minutes prior to the accident, a weather station located about 10 nautical miles from the accident site reported a temperature of 48 degrees F and dew point of 43 degrees F. These weather conditions were conductive to the high probability of carburetor ice formation, with the potential for serious icing at cruise power. During the postaccident engine examination, the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine was started and run with no mechanical failures or malfunctions noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that 15 minutes after takeoff, during cruise flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power. She pulled the carburetor heat control knob on, and initiated a forced landing to a grassy field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with heavy vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. About 30 minutes prior to the accident, a weather station located about 10 nautical miles from the accident site reported a temperature of 48 degrees F and dew point of 43 degrees F. These weather conditions were conductive to the high probability of carburetor ice formation, with the potential for serious icing at cruise power. During the postaccident engine examination, the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine was started and run with no mechanical failures or malfunctions noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N918TF
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2232
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 3,010
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nicolai Jane G
- Registered owner
- Nicolai Jane G
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 2, 2014
- Departed
- VUO · Vancouver, WA
- Destination
- VUO · Vancouver, WA
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,025 total · 172 in this make and model · 2,818 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KVUO, 9 nm away
Docket · 12
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N918TF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.