Pilot Debrief

SMITH MINIPLANE DSA-4 near Hernando, FL — 2011-11-27

Final reportERA12LA087
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Date
2011-11-27
Location
Hernando, FL, USA
Aircraft
SMITH MINIPLANE DSA-4
Registration
N1321
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat while descending in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in carburetor icing and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

NTSB narrative

The airplane had descended from about 1,600 feet to about 800 feet when the pilot/owner increased the throttle to initiate a climb. The engine began to run roughly, the pilot applied carburetor heat, the engine speed decreased to 2,000 rpm, and the airplane descended. Approximately 10 seconds later, about 500 feet agl, the engine stopped producing power and the propeller stopped. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a wildlife preserve, where the airplane rolled an estimated 40 feet, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The accident airplane was one in a flight of two. The second airplane orbited the site until emergency services arrived. According to the owner of the second airplane, he too serviced his airplane at the same time and from the same vendor as the accident airplane and experienced no fuel-related problems. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preaccident anomalies that would preclude normal operation. The engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. According to an Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing probability chart, the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at glide power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked for carburetor icing before increasing throttle.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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