Pilot Debrief

Bruce M Barrett STOLP STARLET SA500 near Shelbyville, IL — 2012-09-13

Final reportCEN12LA632
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Date
2012-09-13
Location
Shelbyville, IL, USA
Airport
2H0
Aircraft
Bruce M Barrett STOLP STARLET SA500
Registration
N935B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

An abrupt, complete loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that about 1 hour after takeoff, while established in cruise flight at 3,000 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power completely and without warning. His efforts to restore engine power were not successful. He executed a forced landing to a bean field and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of an engine malfunction or failure. Surface weather conditions in the vicinity of the accident site indicated the potential for serious carburetor icing at glide power and moderate icing at cruise power. The exact weather conditions at cruise altitude were not known. Further, an abrupt loss of engine power is not consistent with carburetor icing. Accordingly, a determination of the underlying cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Analysis

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

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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