Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Brimfield, IL — 2016-04-23

Final reportCEN16LA166
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Date
2016-04-23
Location
Brimfield, IL, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N7614X
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined, as postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

During a local flight, the pilot noticed a "miss" in the engine, and observed a gradual loss of power. The pilot advanced the throttle, verified the positions of the mixture control and fuel selector, and briefly applied carburetor heat; however, the engine did not respond, and the pilot turned the carburetor heat control off. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a nearby field. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies. Although the airplane was operating in an area that was conducive to the serious risk of carburetor ice accumulation at a glide power setting, the engine was operating at a cruise power setting at the time of the loss of power. However, had the carburetor accumulated ice, the pilot's brief activation of the carburetor heat would have been insufficient to remedy the situation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have recognized carburetor icing risk earlier.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents4

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