- Date
- May 22, 2021, 19:18 local (May 23, 2021, 02:18 UTC)
- Place
- Ventura, CA · Field - crops
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N87WFBoeing A75N1(PT17)
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20210522009909A
- Case key
- 103148
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 partial loss of engine power, during cruise flight, due to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a forced landing to an open field where the airplane nosed over.
Findings · 3
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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, while in cruse flight, about 1,200 to 1,500 ft above ground level (agl), near the Pacific coast, in visible moisture, the engine began to run rough. He applied full throttle and full carburetor heat. The engine initially regained power but again began to lose power at a progressively worsening rate. Concerned that he could not continue to the nearest airport he elected to land on a field. During the landing roll, the main landing gear impacted an irrigation line and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. The rudder was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the carburetor heat system by an airframe & powerplant mechanic revealed no mechanical anomalies. Weather conditions reported at the time of the accident were conducive for serious carburetor icing at any power setting.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87WF
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-3347
- Built
- 1942
- Airframe hours
- 1,487
- Engine
- Continental R670, 220 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 8, 2021 · 130 hours before
- Departed
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Destination
- SZP · Santa Paula, CA
- Airport
- NA
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,850 total · 130 in this make and model · 2,150 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KOXR, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KOXR 221351Z 03005KT 10SM CLR 11/06 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP176 T01060061
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.